Saturn’s icy rings shine in this infrared view from NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope, released March 25, 2026. Combining this image with another captured by NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope – which was released the same day – gives scientists a richer, more layered understanding of the gas giant’s atmosphere.
In Webb’s infrared image, the rings are extremely bright because they are made of highly reflective water ice. Additionally, Saturn’s poles appear distinctly grayish-green, indicating light being emitted at wavelengths around 4.3 microns. This feature may come from a layer of high-altitude aerosols in Saturn’s atmosphere that scatter light differently at those latitudes. Another possible explanation is auroral activity, as charged molecules interacting with the planet’s magnetic field can produce glowing emissions near the poles.
Read more about this image and what it can tell us about Saturn with Hubble.
Image credits: NASA, ESA, CSA, STSCI; Image Processing: Joseph DePasquale (STScI)
