The structure of the circumstellar medium around SN 1987A
poses a challenge to our
understanding of mass loss from massive stars. I will review
what is known about the
three rings around the supernova, as well as other gas close
to it. I will also
discuss how the rings have been excited, and what we can
learn from them about the
supernova shock breakout and the ejecta/ring interaction. I
will also highlight the
elemental abundances in the rings.