Saturns rings, when will they open up?

[lostinspace]

Hi all, since ive been veiwing saturn the only sight of the rings ive had have been side on, they are very thin and bright. I`ve seen posts suggesting that they will open up at some stage. Can anyone shed any light on when that is likely to happen? thnaks guys,

john

[FraserClarke]

The angle we see the rings at changes as Saturn goes round it's orbit. The orbit ~30 years long, so it changes quite slowly (takes about 7.5 years to go from edge on to maximum opening). The rings were edge on only 6 months ago, so they will be opening up gradually over the next few years. By 2017 they will be tilted by ~27 degrees, and then start to close up again.

Here is a nice webpage showing lots of things about Saturn's orbit, including how the rings look from Earth;

Saturn's Orbit and the changing aspect of the Rings

[beamish]

I believe they will "appear" to open up over the next few months but then close again toward September. The rings are at their flattest I think this year but from nxt year onwards start to open out.

[John]

I believe they will "appear" to open up over the next few months but then close again toward September. The rings are at their flattest I think this year but from nxt year onwards start to open out.

Not sure I understand this - why would they appear to open up temporarily (nice though that would be !) then close up again

According to the chart posted by TeaDwarf they were at their most "closed" last year and have since then started to gradually open up.

[crepitis]

You can also check what aspect the rings have at any given date, past or future with stellarium.

[FraserClarke]

Not sure I understand this - why would they appear to open up temporarily (nice though that would be !) then close up again

According to the chart posted by TeaDwarf they were at their most "closed" last year and have since then started to gradually open up.

There is a secondary effect due to the relative inclination of Earth's orbit to Saturn's (~2.8 degrees). So, Beamish is right and the rings will open and close a little bit through the year as the Earth orbits the Sun. It's a factor of 10 smaller than the effect from Saturn's orbit around the Sun though.

[brantuk]

Yep - the rings will appear to wobble slightly open this year, then close up again, and then open up a bit more by Jan next year. Then the effect wil repeat in 2011 and be a little more open again by Feb/March 2012.

The whole process will repeat each year opening a bit more each time and closing less untill Feb 2014 when you'll start getting superb views of the rings.

Check out Sky View Cafe - Astronomy - Star Charts - Ephemeris - Planetarium where you can produce hourly/daily/monthly and annual graphical simulations of the tilting mechanism into the future (and the past) it's fun

Cheers

[lostinspace]

thanks for all your input, very helpfull

john

[John]

Thanks for educating me on Saturn's wobbles as well

[moocher]

Don`t forget by the time the rings have opened up to any great extent Saturn will be much lower on the ecliptic ie further south!!!! We`ve had the best of Saturn for the next few years its the turn of our southern cousins now. But we get Jupiter back!!!

Alan:)

[crepitis]

So when are those of us in the northern hemisphere likely to get a decent view of an open ringed Saturn?

Jupiter is great...but its no saturn

[TheThing]

Who gave our southern cousins permission to look at our Saturn?!? Outrageous!!

(Just kidding!)

The eccentricities of orbits always throw me as well! Thanks for the explanation.

[moocher]

A few years i`m afraid .....

Alan

[beamish]

2020's

[Nexus 6]

Another thread that was really helpful alhough it seems obvious now when you think about it.

Only been observing for 18 months.Saturn was one of the 1st things I viewed and just like everyone else I was enthralled to see it.

It must be amazing when you see it with the rings fully open!

Alan