Saturn’s rings disappear from our point of view for several days every 15 years – an astronomical event called a ring plane crossing – when they turn edge-on to the sun and reflect no sunlight.
Disappearance of Saturn’s rings in March 2025
Saturn’s rings will disappear from our point of view on March 23, 2025 – when the sun will cross above Saturn’s rings plane from north to south.
Duration of disappearance: Starting on March 23, 2025, Saturn’s rings will be invisible (or you can see a thin line on Saturn) for about 44 days – when they will not reflect any sunlight.
After that, they will start to reappear as the sun moves southward. As a result, you will start to see Saturn and its rings from below.
Saturn’s rings will be wide open to us in 2032 when the sun reaches its southernmost point.
When and where to see: Unfortunately, you won’t be able to see the disappearance of Saturn’s rings in March 2025 as the planet reached its solar conjunction on March 12, 2025 – the opposite side of the sun relative to Earth in its orbit. Saturn appears very close to the sun in our sky around conjunction.
Saturn will be visible near the eastern horizon before sunrise from mid-April, when the planet will start to emerge from the sunrise glare. However, it is still too low to make observations worthwhile in the eastern sky.
You will have to wait until June 2025 to get a good telescopic view of Saturn when you will see Saturn’s rings at their narrowest.
Effect on Saturn’s season: As the sun crosses above Saturn’s rings plane from north to south, the disappearance of Saturn’s rings in 2025 marks the beginning of spring and a shift toward summer (which will start in 2032) in Saturn’s southern hemisphere.
At the same time, the disappearance of Saturn’s rings in 2025 marks the beginning of autumn and a shift toward winter (which will start in 2032) in Saturn’s northern hemisphere.
Remember, while each season on Earth lasts about 3 months, each season on Saturn lasts about 7.5 years.
Why do Saturn’s rings disappear every 15 years?
Like Earth’s axis, Saturn’s axis is not perpendicular to its orbital plane around the sun. While Earth’s axis is tilted 23.5°, Saturn’s axis is tilted 26.7°.
When Saturn’s axis is tilted towards the sun, its northern hemisphere faces the sun. As a result, we see Saturn and its rings from above.
When Saturn’s axis is tilted away from the sun, its southern hemisphere faces the sun. As a result, we see Saturn and its rings from below.
When Saturn’s axis is tilted neither towards nor away from the sun – during equinoxes – its both hemispheres receive the same amount of sunlight. In other words, the sun shines directly above Saturn’s equator during equinoxes.
Since Saturn’s rings orbit along the planet’s equator, so during equinoxes Saturn’s rings appear edge-on and disappear from our point of view.
Now how often do equinoxes occur on Saturn?
Since our Earth takes 365 days to complete one orbit around the sun, the equinox occurs on Earth once every 6 months.
Similarly, Saturn takes 29.4 years to complete one orbit around the sun. So the equinox occurs on Saturn once every 14.7 years.
That’s why once every 14.7 years – during equinoxes – Saturn’s rings temporarily vanish from our point of view.
When will Saturn’s rings disappear next time?
Next time, Saturn’s rings will disappear from our point of view on October 15, 2038 – when the sun will cross above Saturn’s rings plane from south to north.
And the most fortunate fact is that you will be able to see the disappearance of Saturn’s rings in 2038 – when Saturn will be visible in the eastern sky before sunrise.
References
Ring Plane Crossings of Saturn
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