Saturn Is Losing Its Rings and the Webb Telescope May Soon Tell Us How Long They Have Left!

If we had to list down some of the most striking features of our solar system, the iconic ring systems around certain planets — especially the glorious Saturn — would most definitely make it to the top. But what if we told you those spectacular rings may soon become a thing of the past? They may appear fixed from Earth, but astronomers have long known that Saturn's innermost rings erode into its upper atmosphere due to the planet's intense gravity. So powerful is this gravitational pull, that bits and pieces of these icy rings raining down on the planet can fill up an Olympic-sized swimming pool every day! To better understand just how fast the rings are disappearing, scientists have roped in NASA's incredible James Webb Space Telescope and Hawaii's Keck Observatory to carry out long-term observations of the 'ring rain' phenomenon. These observations will be made during an entire season on Saturn, which is equivalent to about seven years on Earth.