Roche Limit

The Roche Limit is the minimum distance at which a celestial body, like a moon or asteroid, can approach a larger body, such as a planet, without being torn apart by gravitational forces. If it gets too close, the larger object's gravity can overpower the smaller body’s own gravitational cohesion, resulting in it breaking apart. This concept is significant in understanding planetary rings and the behavior of moons, as it explains why there are gaps around planets and how structures like Saturn's rings are formed from debris within this limit.