Low tilt angle photometry and the thickness of Saturn's rings

Nine photographic plates taken by Focas and Dollfus (1969) at the moment of the 1966 passage of the earth through the ring plane of Saturn have been remeasured. The value 0.8 (+2.3, -0.8) km is obtained for the ring thickness. The observed transmitted radiation through the rings at two distances from the planet suggests that there are density fluctuations in Ring A with the low density areas having an optical thickness less than 0.13. The radiation reflected by the outermost part of the ring layer can be explained in terms of particles similar to those in the bulk of the rings. The time of the passage of the earth through the ring plane was found to be December 18 at 07h plus or minus 4h UT in 1966.