... April 29, 1996 . Saturn's Rings Seen Sideways . ... Explanation: Saturn's rings are actually very thin. This picture from the Hubble Space Telescope was taken on August 6, 1995 when the rings lined up sideways as seen from Earth . ... If you look carefully, you will note that the dark band across the planet is actually the shadow of the rings, and is slightly displaced from the real rings - which are best seen away from the planet. ... Tomorrow's picture: Uranus' Ring System . ... About APOD | ...