Saturn’s rings… yes, will disappear by 2025, but another reason is science

The most important features of Saturn are undoubtedly its rings, which are the main target of all amateur astronomers around the world with their small and large telescopes. Earth.

Saturn’s rings consist mainly of ice and rock and the moon orbiting between the rings is only 8 kilometers in diameter.

Saturn’s rings.. will disappear, but not now

In 2018, a study by scientists at the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) caught the world’s attention when they confirmed that Saturn’s delicate rings are eroding day by day.

The study indicated that Saturn’s rings are relatively young, only a few hundred million years old, and that they are gradually losing mass through various processes, such as ice particles falling from the rings. Rings. Atmosphere Along Saturn’s magnetic field lines.

Another process is by microscopic meteorites eroding the rings, creating dust and debris that can escape the rings. These events reduce the mass and brightness of the rings over time.

What will happen in 2025?

Recently, a rumor spread in the world media that Saturn’s rings will disappear in 2025, and some have linked this to a study published by NASA, but this is completely false. In fact, Saturn’s rings will disappear in 2025, but they will reappear several years later, in 2027 or 2028, for example, nothing more than a change in our view of Saturn’s Earth.

Because of Saturn’s tilt on its axis, the shape of its rings changes every year very slowly relative to us on Earth, over a cycle of about 29 years.

To clarify this point somewhat, consider an image of Saturn released by the Hubble telescope between December 1994 and May 1995, where Saturn appears in the first image and its rings are completely tilted, but our perspective has changed. The rings looked like they didn’t exist.

In another image released in 2001, astronomers with the Hubble Space Telescope showed how Saturn’s shape changes over four years. In one view, the rings appeared fully inflated, then quickly receded. This is normal and repeats itself every 29. years.

That means there are no problems with Saturn’s rings at the moment, and if you have a small or medium telescope, it’s a good idea to think about Saturn’s magnificent rings these days and try to experience them before they disappear. Our vision is complete, then reappears.