<p>Most planets don't have rings.   The ring region is inside the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roche_limit" rel="noreferrer">Roche limit</a> which is quite close to the planet.  A ring system outside the Roche limit needs to be either very faint or, it would over time coalesce into a moon or possibly pair of moons at Trojan points to each other.   </p>

<p>There's different Roche limits for rocky bodies vs icy, but an icy body couldn't exist in Earth's orbit for long, so it's not really relevant for the Earth.  Saturn's rings are mostly ice, which extends about twice as far as the rocky body Roche limit.</p>

<p><a href="https://i.sstatic.net/lSSrd.gif" rel="noreferrer"><img src="https://i.sstatic.net/lSSrd.gif" alt="enter image description here"></a></p>

<p>How long a ring system lasts depends on a few factors.   How big it is, whether it's given new material regularly or not, what it's made of and how vulnerable it is to the sun's rays.   Saturn's rings, for example, are losing material, <a href="http://www.universetoday.com/101374/rain-is-falling-from-saturns-rings/" rel="noreferrer">raining down on Saturn</a> as well as <a href="http://saturn-archive.jpl.nasa.gov/science/moons/enceladus/enceladusfeedring/" rel="noreferrer">slowly adding material</a> from Enceladus, one of it's small and close moon's that gives up ring material by tidal-volcanic eruptions.</p>

<p>Earth's large moon could (not saying it would but it might) play a role in disrupting and Earth-Ring system more quickly than it would with no moon.   A 2 body system with the 2nd body as large as the moon isn't gravitationally friendly to other orbiting objects.</p>

<p>Many man made satellites orbit well within the Roche limit but they are small enough to be held together and not be affected by tidal forces.   Larger objects, just a few miles across, perhaps less, are more vulnerable to tidal forces and tend to break up inside the Roche Limit.</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-01-13T18:16:51.100Z
2017-01-13T18:16:51.100Z
userLTK
<p>Why doesn't the earth have a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ring_system" rel="nofollow noreferrer">ring</a>?</p>

<p>If solid material such as dust and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moonlet" rel="nofollow noreferrer">moonlets</a>, and common components of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satellite_system_(astronomy)" rel="nofollow noreferrer">satellite systems</a> are brought nearer to the Earth, then what will happen? Will it take the form of a ring or fall down on the Earth?</p>

CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-01-13T16:57:13.670Z
I don't understand your question. Can you please rephrase the second long sentence into at least two and check grammar?
AtmosphericPrisonEscape
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-01-13T18:13:51.340Z
Related question here:   http://astronomy.stackexchange.com/questions/8112/how-long-do-planetary-rings-last
userLTK
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-01-15T16:19:49.337Z
Earth has got a ring of geostationary satellites today. It's just not very dense.
Wayfaring Stranger
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-01-15T16:21:12.910Z
@WayfaringStranger. Do you think that ring is circular.
Harsh Kumar
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-01-15T16:22:36.947Z
It's close to circular: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geostationary_orbit
Wayfaring Stranger
CC BY-SA 3.0
2017-01-15T16:25:02.767Z
You must answer to my question @WayfaringStranger.
Harsh Kumar
<gravity><earth><planetary-ring><near-earth-object>
Can Earth have a ring?
Harsh Kumar
# Can Earth have a ring?

(Asked by: username_0 on 2017-01-13)

Why doesn't the earth have a [ring](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ring_system)?

If solid material such as dust and [moonlets](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moonlet), and common components of [satellite systems](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Satellite_system_(astronomy)) are brought nearer to the Earth, then what will happen? Will it take the form of a ring or fall down on the Earth?

**Tags:** gravity, earth, planetary-ring, near-earth-object
> **Comments:**
> **username_1**: I don't understand your question. Can you please rephrase the second long sentence into at least two and check grammar?  
> **username_2**: Related question here:   http://astronomy.stackexchange.com/questions/8112/how-long-do-planetary-rings-last  
> **username_3**: Earth has got a ring of geostationary satellites today. It's just not very dense.  
> **username_0**: @WayfaringStranger. Do you think that ring is circular.  
> **username_3**: It's close to circular: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Geostationary_orbit  
> **username_0**: You must answer to my question @WayfaringStranger.  

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## 1 answers

### Answer by username_2 on 2017-01-13. Score: 7

Most planets don't have rings. The ring region is inside the [Roche limit](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roche_limit) which is quite close to the planet. A ring system outside the Roche limit needs to be either very faint or, it would over time coalesce into a moon or possibly pair of moons at Trojan points to each other.

There's different Roche limits for rocky bodies vs icy, but an icy body couldn't exist in Earth's orbit for long, so it's not really relevant for the Earth. Saturn's rings are mostly ice, which extends about twice as far as the rocky body Roche limit.

[![enter image description here](https://i.sstatic.net/lSSrd.gif)](https://i.sstatic.net/lSSrd.gif)

How long a ring system lasts depends on a few factors. How big it is, whether it's given new material regularly or not, what it's made of and how vulnerable it is to the sun's rays. Saturn's rings, for example, are losing material, [raining down on Saturn](http://www.universetoday.com/101374/rain-is-falling-from-saturns-rings/) as well as [slowly adding material](http://saturn-archive.jpl.nasa.gov/science/moons/enceladus/enceladusfeedring/) from Enceladus, one of it's small and close moon's that gives up ring material by tidal-volcanic eruptions.

Earth's large moon could (not saying it would but it might) play a role in disrupting and Earth-Ring system more quickly than it would with no moon. A 2 body system with the 2nd body as large as the moon isn't gravitationally friendly to other orbiting objects.

Many man made satellites orbit well within the Roche limit but they are small enough to be held together and not be affected by tidal forces. Larger objects, just a few miles across, perhaps less, are more vulnerable to tidal forces and tend to break up inside the Roche Limit.


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