Scientists baffled by changes in Saturn's rings

New observations by the international Cassini spacecraft reveal that Saturn’s trademark shimmering rings, which have dazzled astronomers since Galileo’s time, have dramatically changed over the past 25 years, it was announced today.

One surprising discovery is that parts of Saturn’s innermost ring – the D ring - have grown dimmer since the Voyager spacecraft flew by the planet in 1981. A piece of the D ring also has shifted, moving 125 miles inward toward Saturn.