HUBBLE ATLAS

Solar System

Movie Shows Saturn and Rings Tipped Edge-on Toward Earth

January 16, 2012 · ESA/Hubble

Original on ESA/Hubble ↗

This time-lapse sequence shows the moons Titan and Tethys orbiting Saturn when the planet's rings were tilted nearly edge-on toward Earth. This edge-on alignment happens once every 15 years. The last time this alignment occurred was in 1995 and 1996. As Titan makes its trek across the disk, Tethys appears on the left from behind the planet.