Hah, yeah. Even mining is a bit tense when your patch of the rings drifts into the planet's shadow. (By the way, full kudos to the devs - even if you jump into a lit side of the rings, they turn and you will eventually move into the shadow and out of it, with the gas giant you're orbiting being correctly lit too...)
Ship lights don't help much, they have a very short range. Def. not long enough for when you're flying at high speed.