ANSWERS: 1
  • The movement of the planets in relation to Earth means that your ability to view Saturn in the night sky changes throughout the year. It also means that there will be years when Saturn and its rings will be more visible than in other years.

    Viewing Saturn

    In 2009, the Saturn Observation Campaign predicted that the planet would be most visible between the months of January and July. Early in the year, they advised stargazers to go outside before midnight and look for Saturn in the east. By March, Saturn's visibility changed to the hours of sunset and by October, Saturn was visible just before sunrise. On March 8, 2009, Saturn reached opposition with Earth, meaning that it was visible all night long and, hence, at its best for those wanting to catch a glimpse of the ringed planet. According to the Saturn Observation Campaign, "an object is at opposition when the sun is on one side of Earth and the object is directly on the opposite side. The result is that the object is fully illuminated by the sun and appears disk-like." What Saturn looks like in a telescope depends as much on the weather and atmospheric conditions as it does the power of your telescope and the cleanliness of your lens. It is possible to view the planet and its rings clearly, especially when Saturn is at its highest point in the sky. In addition to viewing Saturn and its rings, it is sometimes possible to view Saturn's moons. Titan, Saturn's largest moon, is easy to see with most telescopes. You may also catch a glimpse of Rhea, Tethys, Dione, Encladus, Iapetus and Mimas, though Encladus and Mimas are difficult to see because they orbit very close to Saturn's rings. Titan orbits Saturn approximately five ring diameters from the planet and Rhea orbits approximately two-ring diameters from the planet.

    Source:

    Cassini Equinox Mission

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