The rings of the planet Uranus have long baffled scientists because of how different they are.
Take two of the rings, named mu and nu: mu is an icy blue, while its sister ring is red and rocky.
Now, data from the W. M. Keck Observatory on Maunakea, along with observations from the James Webb Space Telescope, have allowed researchers to crack the code on where these rings come from.
Imke de Pater is a professor emerita at the University of California, Berkeley's astronomy department. She spoke with The Conversation about the new research and how rings and moons can tell us how planets formed.
She starts by defining what a ring really is.
This story aired on The Conversation on May 13, 2026. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m.
