Latest news with #SolarSystemExplorationDivision
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
‘Planetary sleight of hand': Kentucky set to see Saturn's rings disappear
KENTUCKY (FOX 56) — On the heels of the worm moon turning to blood, stargazers in Kentucky are set to see the heaven's next magic trick. At 12:04 p.m. on Sunday, Earth officially passed through the sixth planet's 'ring plane.' Pedestrian in critical condition after crash on Alexandria Drive Missing person search operation underway in London 'Planetary sleight of hand': Kentucky set to see Saturn's rings disappear Due to a transition in Saturn's planetary axis, Earth's ability to perceive Saturn's vibrant rings will be in 'perfect alignment' with Earth, causing them to be nearly invisible, according to At 12:04 p.m. on Sunday, Earth officially passed through the sixth planet's 'ring plane.' 'The rings engage in sort of a planetary 'sleight of hand,' where, when viewed from the edge, the rings seem to disappear (think of a sheet of paper—it looks large when viewed from above, but as you tilt it, it gets thinner and thinner),' explained Dr. Amy Simon, Senior Scientist for Planetary Atmospheres Research in the Solar System Exploration Division at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Read more of the latest Kentucky news In the 1600s, Galileo Galilei described the faraway world as having 'ears.' Once the rings vanish from sight, the planet with ears will look like 'a pale yellow sphere' through telescopes. claims that only the most powerful of telescopes might be able to see the subtle line of Saturn's rings. The rings stretch around 170,000 miles long but are only about 30 feet thick, according to The rings will come back into full view in November as Earth and Saturn will shift positions, and lucky skywatchers may even be able to catch a glimpse of its many moons. The Weather Authority is calling for a mix of clouds across the central Kentucky sky when Saturn is at its brightest Monday evening. Celestial enthusiasts will want to jump at the chance to witness the solar system's next magic trick. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
21-03-2025
- Science
- Yahoo
Saturn's rings to ‘vanish' this weekend: What to know
(NEXSTAR) — The sky has already graced us with a total lunar eclipse and a rare planetary alignment, but we'll soon have the chance to witness another peculiar celestial event: the disappearance of Saturn's iconic rings. The rings, believed to be made up of rocky and icy chunks that could be as large as a house, help separate Saturn from other planets in our solar system. They're also about to perform a vanishing trick — sort of. Like Earth, Saturn's axis is tilted, NASA explains. Saturn is transitioning, causing its tilt to shift. This will alter our view of the planet as Earth crosses its ring plane. This is where the disappearance comes in. 'The rings engage in sort of a planetary 'sleight of hand,' where, when viewed from the edge, the rings seem to disappear (think of a sheet of paper – it looks large when viewed from above, but as you tilt it, it gets thinner and thinner),' explained Dr. Amy Simon, Senior Scientist for Planetary Atmospheres Research in the Solar System Exploration Division at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Because we're so far from Saturn, and its rings are relatively thin, we can lose sight of them by shifting just a few degrees above or below them, Simon previously told Nexstar. The size and quality of the telescope you use and 'the calmness of Earth's atmosphere,' can also impact our ability to see Saturn's rings. Starting on Sunday, Saturn's rings will seem to disappear for a few days. For the next several months, Simon said the rings will 'remain very thin' to our eyes. REAL ID: What is it, and why do you need one in May? 'Unfortunately, Saturn will be very close to the Sun in the sky in March, so it will be difficult to catch this from small telescopes,' she said. 'However, because the Earth's orbit is short, a similar geometry will occur in November, when Saturn is easier to view, but it won't be quite as edge-on as in March, so the rings may be barely visible.' It will be about 13 to 15 years before we will get to see a ringless Saturn, according to Simon. NASA previously predicted that our crossing of Saturn's ring-plane will be even better in 2038-39 when Earth undergoes a triple passage and gives us three chances to see a seemingly ringless Saturn: October 15, 2038; April 1, 2039; and July 9, 2039. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
The Hill
21-03-2025
- Science
- The Hill
Saturn's rings to ‘vanish' this weekend: What to know
(NEXSTAR) — The sky has already graced us with a total lunar eclipse and a rare planetary alignment, but we'll soon have the chance to witness another peculiar celestial event: the disappearance of Saturn's iconic rings. The rings, believed to be made up of rocky and icy chunks that could be as large as a house, help separate Saturn from other planets in our solar system. They're also about to perform a vanishing trick — sort of. Like Earth, Saturn's axis is tilted, NASA explains. Saturn is transitioning, causing its tilt to shift. This will alter our view of the planet as Earth crosses its ring plane. This is where the disappearance comes in. 'The rings engage in sort of a planetary 'sleight of hand,' where, when viewed from the edge, the rings seem to disappear (think of a sheet of paper – it looks large when viewed from above, but as you tilt it, it gets thinner and thinner),' explained Dr. Amy Simon, Senior Scientist for Planetary Atmospheres Research in the Solar System Exploration Division at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. Because we're so far from Saturn, and its rings are relatively thin, we can lose sight of them by shifting just a few degrees above or below them, Simon previously told Nexstar. The size and quality of the telescope you use and 'the calmness of Earth's atmosphere,' can also impact our ability to see Saturn's rings. Starting on Sunday, Saturn's rings will seem to disappear for a few days. For the next several months, Simon said the rings will 'remain very thin' to our eyes. 'Unfortunately, Saturn will be very close to the Sun in the sky in March, so it will be difficult to catch this from small telescopes,' she said. 'However, because the Earth's orbit is short, a similar geometry will occur in November, when Saturn is easier to view, but it won't be quite as edge-on as in March, so the rings may be barely visible.' It will be about 13 to 15 years before we will get to see a ringless Saturn, according to Simon. NASA previously predicted that our crossing of Saturn's ring-plane will be even better in 2038-39 when Earth undergoes a triple passage and gives us three chances to see a seemingly ringless Saturn: October 15, 2038; April 1, 2039; and July 9, 2039.
