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aleksfadini t1_j7ste50 wrote

Interesting question. Non astronomer here, I’d say unlikely because they would attract each others. And merge into one. But how could they even have originated as two separate rings, considering rings originate as spherical debris that floats towards a potential well that is always along the rotational axis? So the answer is no using basic physics.

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Massive_Mistakes t1_j7su46n wrote

Two rings I think depends on how you'd define a ring, since technically (for example) Saturn's rings have gaps in them basically splitting the rings into multiple bands. As for two rings on different planes, I highly doubt that's possible to sustain due to gravitational interference from any moons and the other ring. It maybe possible briefly due to an event, but will eventually stabilize onto the same plane

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mfb- t1_j7tu5oi wrote

Over time rings will always get aligned with the rotation axis of the planet because all other configurations are unstable. That means all rings will be in the same plane. Very short-term you can have debris in other orbits but that won't form a nice ring. Here is a video explaining why.

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mfb- t1_j7x25gx wrote

Replying to Krail (#1,766,967)

This tendency relies on repeated collisions so it doesn't apply on the timescale of us doing spaceflight. An individual satellite keeps its inclination. If we launch so many that they will all collide with something and produce tons of dust then this dust will tend to accumulate in an equatorial orbit in the distant future (in regions where atmospheric drag doesn't deorbit it first).

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