{"id":121088,"date":"2023-11-07T15:59:33","date_gmt":"2023-11-07T15:59:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cottontailsonline.com\/?p=121088"},"modified":"2023-11-07T15:59:33","modified_gmt":"2023-11-07T15:59:33","slug":"saturns-iconic-rings-will-disappear-in-as-little-as-18-months-nasa-says","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/cottontailsonline.com\/world-news\/saturns-iconic-rings-will-disappear-in-as-little-as-18-months-nasa-says\/","title":{"rendered":"Saturn’s iconic rings will disappear in as little as 18 months, NASA says"},"content":{"rendered":"

NASA claims that Saturn's rings will be invisible from Earth in as little as 18 months' time.<\/p>\n

Experts from the US space agency confirmed that by 2025 the infamous structure may no longer be visible. The enormous rings, which are 175,000 miles wide, will vanish due to an 'equinox' event.<\/p>\n

Despite their massive stretch, the rings are only half a mile thick so when the planet 'tilts' in its alignment with Earth stargazers will at best be able to see a fine line. This means they look as if they have disappeared side-on.<\/p>\n

READ MORE: NASA discovers seven new planets around star 'hotter than the sun' <\/b><\/p>\n

For more of the latest news from the Daily Star, click here. <\/b><\/p>\n

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Although the rings will not be gone for good, they will not be visible from Earth again until the next phase of the planet's 29-year orbit period.<\/p>\n

The seven distinct rings are made up of ice, rocky debris, and dust. This means they could vanish entirely due to erosion \u2013 although scientists don\u2019t believe this will happen for another 300 million years.<\/p>\n

The rings can only be seen a few years at a time before vanishing from perspective. Due to the tilt of its orbit, Saturn wobbles slightly towards and away from the sun during orbit. <\/p>\n

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