Saturn's rings appear to disappear this weekend

Saturn's famous rings will appear to disappear this weekend as they align edge-on with Earth. This will happen on March 23, 2025, at 12:04 p.m. EDT. It's the first time this has occurred since 2009. This rare event, called "ring plane crossing," happens every 13 to 15 years. During this time, Saturn's rings become almost invisible to observers on Earth. Most people will not be able to see this event because Saturn is low in the sky for those in mid-northern latitudes. Skywatchers in mid-southern latitudes have a better chance, but they will contend with morning twilight. Saturn takes about 29.4 Earth years to orbit the sun. Its tilted axis means the view of its rings changes over time. Sometimes we see a full view, and at other times, they appear as a thin line. Saturn's rings are mainly made of water ice, with some rock and dust. They are believed to come from comets, asteroids, or moons torn apart by Saturn's gravity. The rings are very wide, stretching 170,000 miles, but they are only about 30 feet thick. When they align edge-on with Earth, they reflect very little light and become hard to see. This edge-on view is temporary. The rings will gradually tilt back towards Earth and become visible again over the next few months. Although the rings won't be visible for some time, Saturn will still be observable in the early morning sky. The best time to see Saturn will be on September 21, 2025, when the planet is at its brightest.