meteors smash into Saturn's rings!

• Nasa spacecraft observed impact of small meteoroids on Saturn’s rings
• Small meteoroids break into streams of rubble that crash into rings
• Cassini probe images reveal how objects create clouds upon impact
• Saturnian equinox in summer 2009 provided ideal observation conditions
• Shallow angle of sun on rings acting as an ‘anti-cloaking device’
• Clouds of debris appeared bright against the darkened rings of Saturn

Images beamed back from Nasa’s Cassini spacecraft have revealed meteors smashing into Saturn’s rings for the first time.

They make Saturn’s rings the only location besides the Earth, the moon and Jupiter where scientists have been able to observe impacts as they occur.

Measuring from one centimetre to several metres across, the objects break into streams of rubble as they ‘pummel’ the planet before kicking up clouds of debris, Nasa scientists said.