physics

August Sky Spotlight

Astronomy and Physics, Earth, News

2nd: Moon at Perigee

On August 2nd, the Moon will be at its closest spot to Earth. This is called perigee.

7th: 1st Quarter

The Moon will be in its first quarter phase!

9th: Moon and Jupiter; Mercury in Greatest Western Elongation

The Moon and Jupiter will meet in the constellation Scorpio in the Southwestern sky.

Saturn, Venus, and Mercury in a dawning sky. Source: universetoday.com

Since Mercury is in between the Earth and the Sun, Mercury is always in the daytime sky. As Mercury goes around the Sun, it gets closer and farther away from the Sun in the sky. On the 9th, Mercury will be as far from the Sun as it gets. This is called greatest western elongation. This is when Mercury is at its best viewing because it’s not washed out by the Sun.

11th: Venus and Sun

On the 11th, Venus and the Sun will be together in the constellation Cancer! However, the Sun’s brightness will make this nearly impossible to view. Look towards (but not at) the rising Sun in the East.

12th: Moon, Saturn, and Pluto; Perseid’s Peak

The Moon, Saturn, and Pluto will be together in Sagittarius on the 12th. To see them, look towards the Southern sky.

In addition to seeing the Moon and planets, this night will feature one of the best shows the sky puts on: a meteor shower. The Perseid Meteor Shower will peak the night of the 12th and into the morning of the 13th. Look to the Northeast to see the show. Unfortunately, the bright Moon will inhibit viewing, but there will still be plenty to see!

15th: Full Moon, Venus at its Brightest 

The 15th will bring a full moon! And, if you look at the dawn sky, you will see a very bright Venus.

17th: Moon and Neptune; Moon at Apogee

The Moon and Neptune will appear together on the Eastern side of Aquarius. In addition, the Moon will be at apogee, it’s farthest point from Earth.

21st: Uranus and Moon

On the 21st, Uranus and the Moon will be seen in the Eastern sky in Aries.

23rd: Last Quarter; Venus and Mars

The Moon will be in its last quarter phase on the 23rd, while Venus and Mars will be together in the sky. They will be near the Sun in the constellation Leo.

29th: Mercury, Moon, and Sun

On the 29th, Mercury, the Moon, and the Sun will all be together. Look to the dawn sky to see them.

30th: Moon, Venus, and Mars; New Moon; Moon at Perigee 

The Moon, Venus, and Mars will be near the Sun; dawn will bring the best viewing. However, the new moon may be difficult to spot. Finally, the Moon will have returned to its closest point to the Earth.

31st: Sun and Mars

The Sun and Mars will be together in the constellation Leo.

Dyson Spheres: Smart or Stupid?

Astronomy and Physics, Earth, News

The other day my dad made a bold claim: Dyson spheres are stupid. I told him that they were not stupid, and he replied that they are because they’re physically impossible. 

I have to admit, he may have a point there. I mean, a true Dyson sphere would have to be quite large. That would take a lot of materials. Does the Earth have enough materials? Does the solar system? 

A Dyson sphere is a theoretical structure that encompasses a star. This structure would harvest as much sunlight as possible.

Olaf Stapledon made the first mention of Dyson spheres in his book Star Maker, but Freedman Dyson later proposed them in a scientific journal as a solution to an advanced civilization’s energy shortage. We rank hypothetical advanced civilizations on the Kardashev Scale, which is based on energy consumption. Currently, humans are not advanced enough to show up on the scale. However, a civilization with a Dyson sphere would be a Type II civilization—they would be able to harness the energy of their star. 

The sun is constantly producing 386 septillion watts of energy. Less than a billionth of a percent of this energy reaches the Earth. Humans harvest even less than this. Clearly, there is a ton of missed solar energy. 

But how would a Dyson sphere actually work? If it were to encompass the sun, but not the Earth, we would no longer receive sunlight. That wouldn’t work; it’s common knowledge that we need sunlight for life. So maybe it should follow the Earth’s orbit, with a little gap for the Earth. Or maybe it should be a little bigger than the Earth’s orbit and hold us inside too. Either way, that would be an astronomically large structure. The Earth is 93 million miles from the sun, so a sphere of that size would have a surface area of 109 quadrillion miles squared. My dad is right, that would be (nearly) impossible. There are not enough materials on the Earth. Luckily, there are enough materials in the solar system to build one. However, I wouldn’t count on it. 

An artist’s concept of a Dyson sphere. Source: CapnHack, via energyphysics.wikispaces.com

Okay, so we can’t have a Dyson sphere. But maybe we can have a Dyson part of a sphere? Or a Dyson fleet of satellites? Some (my dad), may argue that this is not a true Dyson sphere, but we could harvest far more energy than we do now. Right now, humans can only dream of a Dyson sphere. We don’t have the technology to build such a thing. Even a simpler version would be way out of our league. An array of satellites would need carefully calculated orbits. However, some of these orbits would probably overlap, thus blocking the very light they were sent to collect. 

While a Dyson sphere would be really cool, we don’t need to go to space to harvest light for energy. I mean, we have plenty of working solar panels on Earth. Plus, they’re becoming more popular; solar energy has been increasing for years and continues to do so. While solar energy isn’t as efficient at producing energy as fossil fuels are, you don’t have to pay for sunlight. 

Maybe Dyson spheres are in our future—not our near future, of course. I, for one, don’t have a lot of hope. I think they’re a cool theoretical structure, but I believe they will remain exactly that: theoretical. I would also like to say that my dad is not right. Dyson spheres are not dumb. We just have to be smart enough to build them.

A Trip into the Life of Sally Ride

Astronomy and Physics, Earth, News, women in science

Sally Ride was born on May 26, 1951, in Los Angeles, California. She went to a private high school on a scholarship, where she was a bright student and an excellent tennis player. Ride first attended Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania but ultimately graduated from Standford where she majored in physics and English. She went on to earn her Ph.D. from Standford in 1978. There, Ride studied x-rays emitted by stars. 

In 1978, Dr. Ride applied to be an astronaut after seeing an ad in the school newspaper. She was among the first six women to be selected and had to go through intense training. Ride was not a pilot, but she still had to spend time in a plane—just not in the pilot’s seat. Instead, she trained by being the navigator and communicator for the pilot. Ride loved her time in the plane. In fact, she loved it so much that she later got her pilot’s license. Before going to space, Ride worked in Mission Control. There, she was capsule communicator (CAPCOM for short), which serves as the link from ground to space. NASA prefers astronauts at CAPCOM because they know all the astronauts’ slang.

Source: NASA

Unfortunately, as a female astronaut, Ride faced lots of sexism. People were not used to seeing a woman in such a role. Members of the media often asked Ride extremely sexist questions they would never ask her male colleagues. She was asked “Will the flight affect your reproductive organs?” and “Do you weep when things go wrong on the job?” Luckily, Dr. Sally Ride never let the ignorance of the media stop her. 

Finally, in 1983, Ride became the first American woman in space. Ride flew on the space shuttle Challenger, and successfully completed her mission with her crew. On the shuttle, Ride operated a robotic arm that put satellites into space. Two of these satellites were simply communication satellites, but another carried experiments. Then, in 1984, she went to space again, also aboard the Challenger. She was training for a third mission when the Challenger Disaster occurred. Her mission was canceled, and she would never go to space again. In total, Dr. Sally Ride spent 14 days, 7 hours, and 46 minutes in space. 

The thing that I’ll remember most about the flight is that it was fun. In fact, I’m sure it was the most fun I’ll ever have in my life.

Sally Ride

Ride was selected to the Rogers Commission, which investigated the Challenger explosion. She was instrumental in discovering the cause of the disaster. In 2003, she was asked to help investigate the Columbia accident. She is the only person to serve on commissions for both accidents. 

In 1987, Ride left NASA to work at the Stanford University Center for International Security and Arms Control. They educate tomorrow’s leaders of international policy, while also influencing today’s policy. Just two years later, she became a physics professor at the University of California, San Diego. In the 90s, she led NASA outreach programs that allowed students to ask for images of the Moon and Earth. She co-founded Sally Ride Science in 2001, a company that focuses on encouraging students, especially girls, to get into science. There are so many aspects of science that aren’t well known, so Sally Ride Science shows kids what futures lie in science. This non-profit thrives to this day.

Sally Ride Science. Source: NASA

On July 23, 2012, Dr. Sally Ride died. She had pancreatic cancer, one of the most deadly cancers. After her death, it became known that she had a female partner. She had a husband while she was an astronaut, but the marriage quickly ended in divorce. Sally Ride and Tam O’Shaughnessy had been partners for the 27 years prior to Ride’s death. Ride had been very private with her personal life, so the public was unaware of this. Ride is the first known LGBT astronaut. 

Sally Ride continues to be an inspiration to this day. She blended science with humanities as an undergrad. She serves as a role model for both young girls and LGBT youth as her legacy lives on through Sally Ride Science. She is the epitome of strength and perseverance, and I look to her when I find myself faced with sexism. We will never forget Sally Ride. Dr. Sally Ride ensured that the world she left behind was better than when she came. We can all learn a lesson from her.

To read more about Women in Science, check out the links below:

The Universe in Your Hands Book Review

Astronomy and Physics, book reviews, News

One thing about astronomy that has always overwhelmed me is its complication. It seems like you need a degree to understand even the simplest literature. Luckily, there are more books about astronomy than ever before, and you need to know less than ever to understand them!

One of my favorite astronomy books is The Universe in Your Hand by Christophe Galfard. This book boasts its use of only a single equation: E=mc^2. There is no math involved. It is purely conceptual, written simply enough for anyone to understand. This book is not for physicists, which is ideal because I (along with many others) am not a physicist. It is the perfect book for the casual astronomy enthusiast as well as the young astrophysicist-to-be.

I love this book because it has calm energy. The book opens with you, the reader, on a beach looking at the stars. The scene exudes peace and relaxation. There is nothing like learning a difficult concept by having it whispered calmly in your ear. Galfard carries this serene energy throughout the entire book.

The Universe in Your Hand is written in second person, with the author referring to the reader as you almost constantly throughout the book. I realize that some people will be skeptical of this, but trust me, Galfard makes it work. You are making the discoveries that answer the questions of the universe. The reader realizes what is happening around them, then Galfard explains it. The reader feels like a part of the experience and is invested in the text.

The book covers everything: string theory, black holes, quantum particles, photons, the life cycle of a star, and so much more. It’s the perfect glimpse into physics without confusing formulas.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is interested in astronomy or astrophysics. Many of my physics friends have borrowed and enjoyed my copy of The Universe in Your Hand. It is perfect for anyone who wants to read about physics but often finds themselves confused by the difficult math involved. You do not need a background in physics to understand this book. If you want to dip your toe into physics, this book is for you. If you are intimidated by the complexity of physics, this book is for you. If you are interested in a lighthearted scientific read, this book is for you.

My point is that this book is for anyone. It’s one of the most accessible scientific texts I’ve ever read. Don’t fear physics, just read The Universe in Your Hand

Nancy Grace Roman: the Mother of Hubble

Astronomy and Physics, Earth, News, women in science

Dr. Nancy Grace Roman was interested in astronomy from the very beginning. Born in Tenessee in 1925, in elementary school Roman was a co-founder of an astronomy club. She went on to excel in a Baltimore high school and attended Swarthmore College to earn her bachelors degree in Astronomy. In 1949, she received her doctorate in astronomy from the University of Chicago.

Dr. Roman in 1962. Credit: NASA

Shortly after earning her Ph.D., Dr. Roman found a star with unusual emission spectra. This discovery helped her create a name for herself among astronomers.

She began her work teaching at the University of Chicago but left because she didn’t see a future for herself there. She believed that she would never receive tenure simply because she was a woman.

I’m happy about the fact that women can get senior jobs now. They’re not being quite as discouraged as I was.

Nancy Grace Roman

In 1959, Dr. Roman became NASA’s first chief of astronomy. She traveled across the country, speaking to astronomers and giving lectures. She spoke of the advantage of observing the stars from outer space: no light pollution, no clouds, and no atmosphere to block parts of the signal. Most importantly, however, she spoke about and lobbied for the Hubble Space Telescope.

Dr. Roman spoke to secure funding for the project. She pushed for designs to be drawn. Her work has earned her the title “the Mother of Hubble.” And yet, very few people have heard of her.

It wouldn’t be until 1990, after her retirement, that she would see her efforts launched into orbit. 

Nancy Grace Roman, later in life. Source: NASA

Dr. Nancy Grace Roman died in 2018 at the age of 93. A fantastic scientist, inspirational woman, and passionate person, her legacy lives on in our beloved Hubble Space Telescope.

Dr. Roman did everything she could to help the Hubble Space Telescope project. Who knows where it would have gone without her? But Dr. Roman is largely forgotten. Time is washing her memory into oblivion. We must keep Dr. Roman and every other influential woman in history alive. I, among others, must write about her. You must talk about her. We must remember her.

To read about more women in science, check out the links below:

Opinion: My Relationship with Physics

News, Uncategorized

I have always loved science. As a child, I looked at the stars and saw my future. I dreamed of finally being able to learn about real astronomy in school. I dreamed of being able to take physics. I figured everyone knows astronomy research these days is mostly physics, so as soon as I can start learning physics, I’ll be on my way to being a scientist. I thought I would be the best physics student my high school had ever seen and I would know for sure that physics was my future.  

Instead, I failed a test for the first time in my life. I was heartbroken. I was too dumb for physics. I wouldn’t be a famous scientist. My dreams were over.

Physics was the first class to ever challenge me. I knew, in theory, what you were supposed to do. You ask the teacher for help. Except, I couldn’t do that. I couldn’t bring myself to admit that I couldn’t do physics on my own. I wanted to be perfect at it right away.

Time passed. I became used to physics. I got better. I moved back to being the top of the class, and I considered myself good at physics. However, I still struggled. I struggled to ask for help. I sat next to a boy who was very smart. I thought if I asked him for help he would think I was stupid. I thought it would mean I was stupid.

I did improve, to be fair. I had an amazing physics teacher who welcomed questions. She never made me feel stupid for asking. I could trust her. She made me feel like I would be successful. She encouraged me more than anyone else.

To be honest, physics boys scared me. I didn’t want to be seen as some stupid girl who didn’t know anything. Once, during a project, I disagreed with a boy who everyone saw as very smart. I felt like he wasn’t listening to me because he knew he was smarter than me. Maybe because I’m a girl. But maybe just because that’s how he was. I was right about our disagreement. I felt so frustrated that I had been ignored, that I didn’t push hard enough, that I had fallen silent.

I am not perfect at physics. And I am not some physics prodigy. I’m okay with that.

But I’m still scared of physics boys. I’m scared that because I’m not perfect, they’ll see me as some stupid girl. They’ll think I don’t know what I’m doing. They won’t respect me or anything I say.

I’m in college now. I’m studying astronomy and physics. It’s what I always wanted to do. So far, I don’t enjoy it.

I took honors physics courses both the fall and spring of my freshman year. They were interesting, we had plenty of opportunities to ask questions, and my professors seemed to want us to succeed. But my class was overrun by boys. The second semester there were only 5 girls in my class. I estimate 20 boys made up the rest of the class. The boys controlled the class. A kid in the front row was constantly slowing down progress by asking fringe questions. Another, sort of a friend, shushed me. Others didn’t really listen to me. I felt like they were constantly telling me I was wrong without even stopping to listen to what I was saying.

I felt way in over my head. Everyone knew about scientists and concepts and theories I had never even heard of. These boys exuded confidence, sometimes without anything to back it up. They spoke with big words just to make themselves feel better.

I stopped studying with larger groups of the class. I only had two friends who I felt I could ask questions about physics. One of them told me that he was going to work on a difficult problem with other members of the class, and asked if I wanted to come along. I couldn’t. I couldn’t sit in front of those boys and tell them I didn’t know anything. I wanted to be successful and make friends, but these boys felt like poison.

I don’t know if these boys thought I was dumb because I’m a girl, or just because of the way I am. I don’t know if they thought I was dumb at all. But I do know they think they’re smarter than me. Maybe they’re right. But maybe not.

Both of my professors were male. The first struggled to answer questions in a way the asker could ever understand. The other constantly spoke as if electricity and magnetism were obvious. I couldn’t ask questions in class. I couldn’t reveal that I didn’t know what was going on.

The only one who allowed me to be stupid was our TA. Even then, I could only reveal what I didn’t know at office hours, with no one else around. One time I cried to him after class. The math expected of us was out of line with the math requirements of the class. I was totally overwhelmed and felt like I would never be able to catch up. He eased my worries.

But at the exact same time, a kid from my class rambled behind me about how it wasn’t that hard and I shouldn’t be worried. I felt totally patronized. It’s not that I couldn’t do the math, it was that I didn’t know how. No one had ever taught me it before. Later, my friend confronted him about showing off in front of the class. This kid didn’t seem to understand what was wrong with his actions. He laughed it off. He didn’t care to take stock about how it made any other student in the class feel.

These boys didn’t think before they spoke, ever. Another student made a condescending comment about how not everyone in the class was on the same level mathematically. Shaikly (and with backup from my friends), I confronted him. I told him it sounded rude, to which he replied that he didn’t mean it that way. I told him that he should think before he speaks. I don’t know if that affected him at all.

Another boy in my class told me that the Astronomy and Physics degree was fake physics. He held an air of superiority because he was just a Physics major—no astronomy included. He also bragged because he was Pre-Med. I don’t know how someone decides that physics is the right major to get them to med school, but to each their own.  

In general, I feel like I have to prove myself to these boys. I need evidence that I am not stupid and that I deserve to be taken seriously. Meanwhile, none of these boys have a single problem with each other. They are easy to accept each other’s expertise. They are allowed to make mistakes. I am not.

Even when I write, I constantly feel the need to prove myself. I fact check every little thing. I find only the most credible sources. I can’t have anyone thinking that some stupid girl is sitting behind her computer sprouting nonsense.

This isn’t, of course, to say that all physics boys are bad. My best friend constantly tells me I’m not stupid, and he helps me with all my questions. Another reassured me when I cried on an elevator about a less than ideal test grade. Another once complimented a difficult calculation I had done.

Unfortunately, they’re not enough. I always have to be on guard. I can never show weakness. What if this new boy isn’t one of the good ones? How can I know before it’s too late? The boys outnumber me. Who will be on my side?

I don’t enjoy physics like I used to. I still love astronomy. My wonderful (female) astronomy professor made me hopeful again. I might change my major to just Astronomy. I would have to take fewer physics classes, and I would have the opportunity to explore writing.

But what would these boys say? What would they think of me? I’m afraid they’ll think it’s a cop-out. That I couldn’t handle physics. That I’m stupid.

I know it doesn’t matter what they think. I’ll pick what’s best for me.

I’ll never be free from the fear they’ve instilled within me and how it affected my life. However, I don’t want them to be free to continue this behavior.

There is a constant debate about girls in STEM. Why don’t more girls choose STEM fields? This is why. They’re asked to prove themselves to their peers while their male counterparts sit by, out of the spotlight. It’s exhausting. And I can’t do it. It’s spoiled my relationship with science. STEM has lost me.

I still love astronomy. I still love looking at the stars. Maybe something will change, and I’ll go back to wanting to do research. For now, I’ll stay out of the spotlight. But I won’t stop looking at the stars.

How to Send Your Name to the Red Planet

Astronomy and Physics, News, solar system

Almost every child has dreamed of being an astronaut. We look up at the stars and wonder what’s up there. While not everyone will be an astronaut, there are other ways to get your name to space.

NASA has announced a public engagement campaign in which anyone can submit their name to be sent to Mars. The names will be etched onto a chip and sent with NASA’s Mars 2020 rover. The names will be written “smaller than one-thousandth the width of a human hair”, according to NASA.

So far, over 4 million names have been submitted. A single chip can hold over a million names, but I think it’s safe to assume that NASA will be sending more than one chip with the rover.

Everyone who submits their name will receive a “boarding pass” for a flight to Mars. This boarding pass is, of course, for fun, and not a ticket to the Red Planet. It also “awards” frequent flyer points.

Anyone who wants to submit their name has until the end of September to do so. To submit your name, click here.

The rover will launch in July/August 2020 because Mars and the Earth will be close to each other. When they’re closer together, it takes less fuel, time, and money to launch. Therefore, these “close approaches” are simply the best time to launch.

Artist concept of the Mars 2020 rover. Source: NASA/JPL-CalTech

This rover’s main research will be regarding potential life on Mars. The rover will drill into the Martian surface to collect rock and dirt samples. These samples will be set aside, potentially to be brought to Earth in the future. In addition, the rover will look for organic compounds in the rocks. Other functions include testing an oxygen-production method and looking for subsurface water.

NASA’s Mars 2020 rover is going to allow us to understand the Red Planet’s history as well as we understand the Earth’s. In addition, scientists are hoping to answer questions about the possibilities of humans residing on Mars. That goal, however, is a long way away. NASA has recently announced plans to land humans on the Moon by 2024. This is a huge step towards Mars, but the Moon is considerably closer than Mars. Right now, the plan is to land humans on Mars in the 2030s.

Slowly but surely, humanity is going to Mars. It’ll be an exciting thing to watch. Click here for more information on Mars 2020.

Illu-moon-ating Research

Astronomy and Physics, Earth, News

In 2020, NASA will be launching the Space Launch System’s first Exploration Mission. On board will be yeast (to study radiation in space), a solar sail (that will study a near-Earth asteroid), and something called Lunar Flashlight.

Many craters on the Moon are constantly shrouded in shadows. This is a huge problem because light is the only thing we receive from space that we can study (besides meteorites and, of course, going there). Since we don’t receive light from these craters, we have absolutely no idea what’s down there.

That’s exactly what Lunar Flashlight hopes to illuminate.

In the past, the only way to study shadowed craters was to slam something into them and study the debris that flies up. This method allowed scientists to study only one location at a time. Now, the whole Moon can be observed from orbit. Lunar Flashlight will use a solar sail to reflect light into these dark craters. Then, scientists will study the light reflected back and make a map of where the water ice is located.

Artist concept of Lunar Flashlight. Source: NASA/JPL-CalTech

We’ve known about water on the Moon since 2009 when NASA’s LCROSS probe slammed into the Moon’s south pole. Then, in 2017, researhers from Brown University made a map of water on the Moon. However, they acknowledge “that only a small fraction of the Moon has been directly sampled.” Lunar Flashlight hopes to fill in those gaps.

When we go back to the Moon, we want to do so in a strategic location. According to NASA, “resources at destinations in space, such as atmospheres, water ice and regolith, can be broken down into their component molecules and used as building materials, propellant, oxygen for humans to breathe and drinking water.”

Locations with more of these resources are therefore more valuable than those without. NASA hopes to find more of these locations in places that we have been unable to study. In the future, they may be used as a landing spot or the home of a Lunar base.

Nearly 50 years ago, NASA only dreamed of going to the Moon. Now, we are planning a Lunar base to take us beyond our tiny portion of the solar system. Lunar Flashlight is just the beginning.

Saturn’s Spectacular Rings

Astronomy and Physics, solar system

Saturn’s rings are easily one of the most amazing sights in the solar system. However, most people don’t know much, if anything, about them. First, it’s important to note that Saturn is not the only planet with rings; all four gas giants have them! However, Saturn’s rings are bigger than any other planet’s. They’re big enough that they can be seen with a relatively small telescope from your own backyard!

Discovering the Rings

Galileo was the first to observe Saturn’s rings in 1610. However, he didn’t immediately realize that what he was looking at was rings. He described what he saw as “ears,” and drew a circle with a smaller circle on either side. Two years later, these “ears” disappeared completely from view. Even more confusing was when they reappeared in 1613.

Galileo’s drawing of Saturn. Top from 1610, bottom from 1616. Source: NASA

In 1655, Christiaan Huygens observed Saturn with a newer, more advanced telescope. He was the first to suggest that Galileo’s “ears” may, in fact, be a system of rings around the planet. Around the same time, Robert Hooke observed the rings and noticed shadows upon them. Then, in 1675, Giovanni Domenico Cassini (also known as Jean-Domenico Cassini) discovered a gap in the rings. Over 100 years later, in 1787, Pierre-Simon Laplace proved that a single disk would not be stable as rings, and proposed that the rings were many tiny rings. Then, over 70 years after that, in 1859, James Clerk Maxwell proved that rings had to be made of many tiny particles to be stable. Nearly 40 years later, in 1895, James Keeler of Allegheny Observatory and Aristarkh Belopolsky of Pulkovo Observatory confirmed that Maxwell was correct; the rings are made up of many tiny particles.

A Look at the Rings

There are 7 major rings around Saturn. Closest to the planet is the D ring, followed by the C ring, B ring, A ring, F ring, G ring, and finally, the E ring. The rings were named in the order they were discovered, so, unfortunately, there is nothing intuitive about this naming system. The rings are made of particles of water ice, ranging in size from .4 inches to 39 inches (1 centimeter to 10 meters). All of these bits added together are about half the size of the Earth’s Antarctic ice shelf.

The rings are roughly 180,000 miles (400,000 kilometers) wide but only 30 to 3280 feet (10 to 1000 meters) thick. The rings are so much wider than they are thick that the rings form a disk-like shape. In fact, if you were to make a scale model of Saturn’s rings in which their thickness is that of a sheet of paper, the rings would be 1.7 miles (2.7 kilometers) across.

Source: NASA/JPL-Caltech/Space Science Institute

Evidence suggests that the rings are only 100 million years old. 100 million years ago, dinosaurs were still wandering the Earth! Now, I know this seems old, but on the time scale of the solar system, that’s basically a baby! For reference, the Earth formed 4.5 billion years ago. That means that the rings formed 4.4 billion years after the Earth.

Scientists are not really sure how the rings formed, so there are a couple of different theories. Many of the theories propose that a moon may have been destroyed (whether by Saturn’s gravity or a collision with another object) and the debris formed the rings. Another theory is that the rings are just leftovers from Saturn’s formation that failed to form a moon. Saturn’s E ring, however, is formed in a totally different way. As Saturn’s moon Enceladus orbits the planet, it spews its icy innards into orbit.

Saturn’s rings are largely influenced by its moons. The Keeler Gap, a break in the A ring, is caused by Saturn’s moon Daphnis clearing its path around the planet. Prometheus and Pandora created the F ring, making them shepherd moons. A shepherd moon is a moon whose gravity forces material into a ring, like a shepherd with their sheep. There are other minor rings who have been corralled there by nearby moons.

Disappearing Rings

Every 15 years, Saturn’s rings grow thinner and thinner until finally, they disappear from view! This phenomenon is known as a ring plane crossing. Galileo was the first to observe a ring plane crossing in 1612 when the “ears” of Saturn disappeared. Like the Earth, Saturn and its rings are tilted with the Sun—27 degrees, to be exact. When the Earth and the rings line up just right, the rings are edge on to us. Since the rings are so thin, we can’t see them. The next ring plane crossing is on March 23, 2025, but Saturn will be close to the Sun and therefore difficult to view.  

Left: Source: NASA and The Hubble Heritage Team (STScI/AURA)Acknowledgment: R.G. French (Wellesley College), J. Cuzzi (NASA/Ames), L. Dones (SwRI), and J. Lissauer (NASA/Ames). Right: Saturn with two of it’s moons, only visible during a ring plane crossing. Source: Amanda S. Bosh (Lowell Observatory), Andrew S. Rivkin (Univ. of Arizona/LPL), the HST High Speed Photometer Instrument Team (R.C. Bless, PI), and NASA/ESA.

Ring plane crossings are very exciting for astronomers because it gives them an opportunity to view the planet without the giant, bright rings in the way. In addition, many of Saturn’s moons can only be viewed during a ring plane crossing. 13 of Saturn’s moons were discovered during ring plane crossings, while others’ orbits were able to be studied further. Furthermore, scientists can discover more rings during the crossing—that’s how they found the E ring.

One thing that scientists know for sure is that Saturn’s rings used to be bigger than they are now. They know this because the rings fall into Saturn and become what is appropriately called “ring rain.” At the rate at which the rings are decaying, they could disappear as soon as 100 million years from now.

Luckily, 100 million years is plenty of time for us humans, and we have a lot more research to do. The Cassini spacecraft was able to answer some questions for us, but not all. Saturn’s beautiful rings may not last forever—but they’ll last a lifetime. And that, my friends, is enough for me.