Author: News Desk

Saturn’s rings are its most famous feature (artist’s impression) (Picture: Getty/Science Photo Libra)

Saturn’s rings are eroding – at what could be a cosmic rate of knots.

Since the 1980s astronomers have known the Ringed Planet’s most striking feature is slowly disappearing, falling as icy rain into the atmosphere below.

However, they don’t know how quickly this is happening, or how long they have left.

Enter the James Webb Space Telescope (JWST).

Since revealing its first stunning images in July last year, Nasa’s JWST has already contributed to numerous breakthroughs in the field of astronomy, not least potentially upending the entire timeline of the universe when finding the oldest galaxies ever seen.

Using the JWST and Hawai’i’s powerful Keck telescope, a team from Reading University plans to study the Saturn phenomenon in search of answers.

‘We’re still trying to figure out exactly how fast they are eroding,’ said team leader Dr James O’Donoghue. ‘Currently, research suggests the rings will only be part of Saturn for another few hundred million years. 

Saturn, captured by Voyager 2 in 1981 (Picture: Nasa/JPL)

‘We could be very lucky to be around at a time when the rings exist.’

A few hundred million years may not sound like they’re going anywhere fast, but on a cosmic timescale, they could be well into their twilight years.

‘I think it would be fascinating if the lifetime of the rings was only 100million years or so and that their age was billions of years,’ said O’Donoghue, speaking to Space.com. ‘That means we evolved just in time to see them before they vanished.’

Other estimates suggest the rings only appeared 100million years ago – meaning humans are lucky to have been alive to see them during their relatively brief existence in the solar system’s 4.5billion-year history.

Nasa’s James Webb Space Telescope has already provided helped make multiple scientific breakthroughs (Picture: AP)

The rings are thought to be made of billions of small chunks of ice and rock – pieces of comets, asteroids and moons that were broken up by Saturn’s powerful gravity. 

They are aligned with the planet’s magnetic field lines, but that strong gravitational pull is drawing the inner rings towards it, which then fall as rain. 

However, astronmer’s the Sun’s energy may also have an effect.

Saturn has a long year – it takes 29.5 Earth years to complete one orbit of the Sun, and each season lasts about seven years. Like Earth, Saturn is angled on its axis, meaning at different times of the year the rings will be ‘edge-on’ with the Sun, and at others tilted towards it. 

Saturn, captured by Nasa’s Hubble telescope (Picture: NASA/ESA/A/ Simon/OPAL Team)

‘We suspect that when the rings are edge-on with the sun, the ring rain will slow down,’ O’Donoghue told Space.com. ‘And that when they are tilted to face the sun, the ring rain influx will increase.’

To determine if this hypothesis is correct, the team will measure levels of a specific hydrogen molecule in the upper atmosphere which spikes when the icy ring rain is low, and dips when the rain increases.

More: TrendingWhat happens when we die? Scientists may be a step closer to finding outHow to remove MyAI from Snapchat – easy guide to delete chatbotUK residents arrested as global sting shuts down illegal dark web marketplace

‘Saturn may be many millions of miles away, but I believe the key to understanding how fast its rings are disappearing may lie with some of the world’s leading atmospheric scientists in Berkshire,’ said Dr O’Donoghue.

‘Working with the meteorology experts at Reading will give me the opportunity to finally find out what is going on with our giant planetary neighbour.’

MORE : Astronomers uncover mystery of most powerful phenomenon in the universe

MORE : Neptune’s elusive rings pictured by the James Webb Space Telescope

L’Equipe – ‘La RUPTURE’ Paris Saint-Germain have ‘made an example’ out of Lionel Messi, with his suspension the sign of a ‘new era’ where star players have ‘more requirements and fewer privileges.’ That is according to French newspaper L’Equipe, who ran news of Messi’s two-week suspension for an unauthorised trip to Saudi Arabia this week on their front page on Wednesday. Along with the headline ‘La Rupture’ was a picture of a pensive Messi and PSG owner Nasser Al-Khelaifi, with L’Equipe reporting that Messi’s time in Paris is heading towards its conclusion this summer. ‘Who would have imagined that the…

Metro – ‘Killer nurse’ weeps in court Summary of the front page The Metro leads with the trial of nurse Lucy Letby, who today wiped away tears as she told a court she was “sickened” to be blamed for the deaths of babies on her neonatal ward. She is accused of murdering seven babies and attempting to kill 10 others while working as a nurse at the Countess of Chester Hospital. The paper says Ms Letby, who denies all 22 charges against her, told a court she had written “I killed them on purpose because I’m not good enough” on…

The Guardian – New anti-protest powers rushed into law in time for coronation Summary of the front page New criminal offences to prevent disruption at the King’s coronation have been rushed into law, according to an exclusive by The Guardian. The paper says that, from Tuesday, protesters who block roads, airports or railways could be imprisoned for 12 months, while anyone locking themselves to objects or buildings faces six months in jail and an unlimited fine. It adds that the Home Office’s police powers unit has written to anti-monarchy campaign group Republic to advise it of the changes. The front…

Financial Times – AI claims first scalp as shares in education sector tumble Summary of the front page The Financial Times says shares in the education sector fell sharply yesterday as investors bet that artificial intelligence could upend business models. US company Chegg, which provides online study guides, said that a “significant spike in student interest” in AI tool ChatGPT was harming its customer growth. The paper says it marks “one of the first instances of a company acknowledging a hit to its finances as a direct result of advances” in the technology. The front page features an image of…

Daily Express – Lockdown at palace after man arrested Summary of the front page The Daily Express leads on Buckingham Palace being placed on lockdown after suspected shotgun cartridges were thrown over the gates. Multiple police vehicles and personnel can be seen near a line of cones apparently marking a police cordon. The front page also reports on Micheal Palin’s wife’s death. Today’s top stories Like this article? Leave a comment UK National newspapers Previous Next

‘We are mentally ready to legally fight this.’

Daily Mirror – Palace in lockdown after attack Summary of the front page “Palace in lockdown” tops the Daily Mirror as it reports on the arrest of a man who allegedly threw suspected shotgun cartridges over the gates of Buckingham Palace. The area around the Queen Victoria monument had to be evacuated so police could carry out the controlled explosion. The paper adds that the incident comes as security services prepare to oversee their “biggest operations in 70 years” at the King’s Coronation on Saturday. The front page also reports on the Met Gala and features an image of Princess…

The Sun – Palace shotgun terror Summary of the front page The Sun reports the arrest at Buckingham Palace. The paper says police carried out a controlled explosion at the scene and that it is not thought the King and Queen Consort were at the palace at the time. Kendall Jenner and the Met Gala makes the front splash. Today’s top stories Like this article? Leave a comment UK National newspapers Previous Next

The Liberal Democrats leader also gave his verdict on who should play 007 after Daniel Craig.