Saturn is famous for its rings, which make it stand out from all the other planets in our solar system. However, the rings are expected to “disappear” in a few months.
Saturn’s rings will no longer be visible from Earth in March 2025, as the planet’s axis tilts, causing the rings to align from Earth’s perspective. According to Earth.com, this rare event is expected to significantly change the way Saturn is viewed from our planet.
Saturn’s axis is tilted in the same way as Earth’s. During half of its year (1 year on Saturn is equivalent to 29.4 Earth years), the planet is tilted toward the Sun. According to the publication, this is why the upper part of its rings shines.
During the other half, the tilt changes. The Sun illuminates Saturn’s southern side and the lower portion of its rings. Twice in Saturn’s orbit, the rings face directly toward the Sun, called the equinox. During this brief period, both hemispheres of Saturn receive the same amount of sunlight, according to the publication.
Saturn’s axis is tilted about 27 degrees along its path around the sun. Over the course of its 29.5-year journey, this tilt affects how sunlight reaches the planet’s rings and moons, changing their appearance, the publication reported.
These rings are made mainly of ice, rock fragments and space dust, which present a distinct view when observed through a telescope.
Are the rings gone forever?
Saturn’s rings haven’t disappeared forever. They temporarily disappear every 29.5 years when the planet completes its orbit around the sun. After March 2025, they will become visible again due to Saturn’s axial tilt. But, they will disappear again in November of that year, Earth.com reported.
In the 1600s, Italian astronomer Galileo Galilei observed the planet Saturn through a simple telescope. He did not have very advanced equipment, which led him to describe Saturn as a planet with “ears.”
