Saturn’s iconic rings, one of the most beautiful sights in our solar system, will temporarily disappear in 2025, according to a study published in the journal Nature Astronomy. This is not the first time that Saturn’s rings have disappeared from view. In fact, they disappear every 15 years or so, when Saturn’s tilt reaches its maximum.
In 1610, Galileo Galilei became the first person to observe Saturn’s rings through a telescope. Scientists believe that all seven individual rings are made up of pieces of comets, asteroids and broken moons that strayed too close to Saturn’s strong gravity and were torn apart. The rings extend 275,000 miles from the planet (in total they cover an area equal to 30 Earths).
But every 15 years, Saturn’s axis tilts so much that its rings become almost invisible from Earth.
Why are Saturn’s rings disappearing?
This is a mere optical illusion. The rings are very thin, averaging only 30 feet thick. When Saturn’s axis is tilted, the rings are viewed edge-on, making them difficult to see. NASA has confirmed that Saturn’s rings will be invisible from Earth in 2025 due to the planet’s tilt. This is a rare event that occurs every 13.7 to 15.7 years.
Image: NASA
Saturn is not perfectly aligned with the Earth, but is tilted at an angle of about 9 degrees. This means that we see the rings from different angles through Saturn’s orbit. In 2025, Saturn’s tilt will decrease to about 3.7 degrees, meaning the rings will face Earth edge-on and appear to disappear.
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When will the rings be seen again?
After Saturn reaches its maximum tilt in 2025, the rings will begin to tilt back toward Earth. They will become increasingly visible again until 2032 when they reach their maximum inclination to Earth.
How significant is this to astronomers?
The disappearance of Saturn’s rings in 2025 will give astronomers a unique opportunity to study the planet’s atmosphere and other features that are otherwise obscured by the rings. Another added benefit of the planet being less inclined is that this phenomenon makes it easier to spot Saturn’s moons.
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Categories: Optical Illusion
Source: newstars.edu.vn