jupiter also has a thin planetary ring system. these rings are difficult to see and were not discovered until 1979 by nasa's voyager 1 probe. there are four parts to jupiter's rings. the closest ring to jupiter is called the halo ring. the next ring is called the main ring. it is about wide and only thick. the main and halo rings of jupiter are made of small, dark particles. the third and fourth rings, called the "gossamer" rings, are transparent (see through) and are made from microscopic debris and dust. this dust probably comes from small meteors striking the surface of jupiter's moons. the third ring is called the amalthea gossamer ring, named after moon amalthea. the outer ring, the thebe gossamer ring, is named after the moon thebe. the outer edge of this ring is about from jupiter.