If gravity works by pulling everything to a single point (planets centre), then what’s keeping the rings on their specific axis? Shouldn’t it be an even layer of debris around the planet?
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> What keeps rings on the orbit?
Bits of rock and ice that make up rings are moving at just the right speed. Any slower, and gravity of Saturn will pull them down. Any faster, and they would fly away. But at this speed gravity of Saturn is just right to constantly change angle of their movement and make sure they move around the planet. Kinda like spinning something on a rope. The rope always pulls the thing towards center, but if you spin fast enough, the thing will end up going around.
> Why are they rings?
They probably started as random debris. But debris that are “north” of the equator experience combined pull of all the debris to the south of them. And debris to the south exoerience similar pull in the opposite direction. Over a long time this leads to all debris drifting towards the middle.
Space junk flying around Earth could also form rings someday.
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