Is it possible for planetary rings to be perpendicular (or near perpendicular) to the planet's orbit around the host star? Is it possible for planetary rings to be perpendicular (or near perpendicular) to the planet's orbit around the host star?
Yes, the plane of the rings of Uranus are at about 98 degrees to the plane of its orbit around the Sun.
This means that the ring system looks as in your picture twice per orbit. As the planet orbits the Sun, the rings, although still inclined at 98 degrees to the orbital plane gradually become &quot;face-on&quot; when viewed from the Sun. This will happen about quarter of an orbital period after the configuration illustrated in the picture. Then another quarter of an orbital period later, Uranus will be on the other side of the Sun, but with its rings tilted as shown.