2023-11-08 00:09:04
Sky enthusiasts, astrophotographers and astronomers have a window of 18 months to contemplate the iconic rings of Saturno, given that one approaches unique astronomical event which will make them practically invisible from our perspective. The NASA confirmed that until 2025, stargazers will have the opportunity to admire these exceptional structures before Saturn tilts towards Earth, turning the vast rings into a almost imperceptible line.
Saturn’s rings They are enormous structures that span from 70,000 to 140,000 km At some points, they are wonders of the solar system.
The disappearance of Saturn’s rings
This strange phenomenon occurs in cyclical periods. Despite its magnitude, They are extremely thinwith a thickness of only 30 feet (10 meters) in the main rings, causing them to disappear when viewed from a side angle, similar to a piece of paper seen from the side.
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Currently, the viewing angle of Saturn is around 9 degrees. For 2024that angle will have been reduced to just 3.7 degrees and by March 23, 2025, the axis of the rings will align at 0 degrees.
However, the good news is that these rings They will not disappear forever. During the next phase of Saturn’s 29-year orbit, they will tilt toward Earth due to the peculiarity of their orbit. Saturn, as it wobbles slightly toward and away from the Sun throughout its orbit, creates a unique phenomenon.
This phenomenon means that, at intervals between 13.7 to 15.7 yearsthe Earth is in an exceptional position to observe the Saturn from the perfect side, at a distance of 1,200 million kilometers. During these moments, the rings seem to disappear from our perspective on earth.
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The last time This rare astronomical event occurred in September 2009and before that, in February 1996. Astronomers will have to wait until October 2038 to once once more have the opportunity to observe Saturn from this unique perspective.
Although Earth’s tilt relative to Saturn might make the rings virtually invisible, astronomers see a silver lining in this event.
Once this phenomenon has occurred, some of the 156 moons orbiting the gas giantwhich are usually quite difficult to observe when the rings are in the way of view.
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