Saturn’s rings are ‘vanishing’ today – Here’s what to know about this once-in-13-year phenomenon

Saturn’s iconic rings will temporarily vanish from view this weekend due to a rare astronomical alignment known as a ring plane crossing. The phenomenon, which occurs roughly every 13 to 15 years, will take place on Sunday, (March 23, 2025), at 21:34 IST (16:04 UTC / 12:04 p.m. EDT), as Earth passes directly through the plane of Saturn’s rings.

Why will Saturn’s rings disappear?

While Saturn’s rings are not physically vanishing, they will become nearly imperceptible because their super-thin edge will be facing Earth. Saturn is tilted 26.73 degrees as it orbits the Sun, and this tilt causes its rings to periodically align edge-on with Earth’s perspective.

Since the rings are only about 30 feet thick but stretch up to 175,000 miles from the planet, their ultra-thin profile makes them difficult to detect when viewed from the side.

During this alignment, Saturn will appear as a pale yellow sphere through most telescopes, with only the most powerful instruments capable of detecting a faint line where the rings are positioned.

How often does this happen?

Ring plane crossings occur twice during Saturn’s nearly 30-year orbit around the Sun, meaning Earth gets to witness this rare event only about once every 13 to 15 years. The last occurrence was in 2009, and the next one will happen in November 2025, though the rings will not be perfectly edge-on at that time, making the effect less striking.

Visibility challenges

Unfortunately for skywatchers, this weekend’s event will be difficult to observe. Saturn’s position in the sky will be too close to the Sun, making it hard to see from northern latitudes. However, observers in the southern hemisphere may have a better chance of spotting the effect under the right conditions.

Warning: In-The-Sky.org, warns never make an attempt to point binoculars or a telescope at an object near the Sun, as doing so can cause instant and permanent eye damage.