On March 10, 1977, astronomers James Elliot, Edward Dunham, and Jessica Mink were conducting routine observations of Uranus when they stumbled upon an extraordinary finding.

Using the Kuiper Airborne Observatory, a high-altitude plane equipped with an infrared telescope, they were studying a phenomenon known as stellar occultation—when a planet passes in front of a distant star, temporarily blocking its light. However, what they observed was far from expected.

Mysterious Flickering Reveals Hidden Rings

As Uranus moved in front of the star SAO 158687, the astronomers noticed something peculiar. Instead of a smooth dimming of the star’s light, it flickered multiple times before and after Uranus fully eclipsed it.

It appeared that these brief interruptions suggested the presence of a structure surrounding the planet. After careful analysis, the team concluded that Uranus was encircled by a series of narrow rings—making it only the second planet, after Saturn, known to have such a system.

NASA’s Voyager 2 Confirms Uranus’s Rings

Initially, five rings were identified, but subsequent observations, including data from NASA’s Voyager 2 flyby in 1986, revealed nine distinct rings. Today, we know Uranus has at least 13 rings, composed of dark, microscopic particles. However, unlike Saturn’s bright, icy rings, Uranus’ rings are faint and difficult to observe from Earth.

Why the Discovery of Uranus’s Rings Changed Astronomy

Before 1977, rings were thought to be unique to Saturn. However, the discovery of Uranus’ rings suggested that planetary rings might be more common than previously believed.

The above statement was soon confirmed when faint rings were also found around Jupiter and Neptune. As such, scientists then theorised that these rings could be remnants of moons shattered by collisions or gravitational forces.

A Fortunate Mistake That Expanded Our Understanding of Space

The accidental discovery of Uranus’s rings reshaped planetary science, proving that even unplanned observations can lead to groundbreaking revelations.

Today, astronomers continue to study these rings, using techniques like stellar occultation to uncover more hidden features in our solar system and beyond.