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Saturn’s majestic rings will vanish in just six months from now (www.earth.com)

submitted 1 month ago* (last edited 1 month ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Note: The title is a bit clickbait (they'll merely become invisible from our line of sight), but I'm not going to editorialize the article title.

Come March 2025, Saturn's majestic rings will become virtually invisible to earth-based observers. This phenomenon occurs due to the unique tilt of Saturn's axis, which will position the rings edge-on to our line of sight. [...] Saturn's axial tilt, which is the angle its axis leans compared to its orbit around the Sun, is about 27 degrees. As Saturn moves during its 29.5 year orbit around the Sun, this tilt means different parts of its rings and moons get sunlight at different angles, changing how they look. So, the rings are not really disappearing but rather playing a celestial game of hide and seek. At their reappearance, we can also enjoy an accentuated view of Saturn's moons.

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[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 month ago

Cassini got some great pics of Saturn's rings too

https://photojournal.jpl.nasa.gov/mission/cassini?subselect=Target%3ASaturn%3ASpacecraft%3ACassini+Orbiter