Saturn's rings will disappear from view in parts of 2025

Time is running out for skywatchers to get a view of Saturn's rings. The planet's rings will temporarily drop out of the night sky view from Earth during parts of the spring and, again, in the fall of 2025.

But don't worry, the rings won't be gone forever, they'll just be hard to see from Earth for a bit.

Here's a look at what this means and how you can view Saturn's rings right now.

When will Saturn's rings disappear?

As Saturn and Earth revolve around the sun at their respective angles, the Earth sometimes crosses Saturn's ring plane, said Michael Narlock, head of astronomy at the Cranbrook Institute of Science in Bloomfield Hills. This occurs every 13.7 to 15.7 years, according to IFLScience . When this occurs, it becomes impossible to view Saturn's rings from Earth.

Saturn's rings will become less visible in the coming months, before temporarily disappearing from view in March, Narlock said.

When will the rings reappear?

Though Saturn's rings will be visible again from Earth after March 2025, they'll temporarily disappear from view again in November 2025, for the same reason they will have disappeared in March, Narlock said.

The changing visibility of Saturn's rings from Earth in the coming months is due to the positions of the planets' angles as they orbit around the sun, Narlock said.

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How to view Saturn's rings

To take a peek at Saturn's rings, look out at the sky on a clear night this fall.

To get a good look at Saturn's rings, you can use a telescope or binoculars. You can use a star chart to spot Saturn in the night sky, or if you're feeling adventurous, try locating the planet with your own eye. Saturn appears slightly yellow and brighter than stars in the night sky, Narlock said. Saturn can currently be found in the constellation of Aquarius, according to The Sky Live.

If you don't have your own viewing supplies, consider stopping by Cranbrook Institute of Science's observatory on Friday evenings, when it's open to the public, Narlock said.

Contact Jenna Prestininzi: jprestininzi@freepress.com .

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Saturn's rings will disappear from view in parts of 2025