Viewing Saturn in 2009
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Viewing Saturn in 2009
January through July are the best months to view Saturn this year. Look in the east before midnight in early January. By March, Saturn rises at sunset for an earlier and more convenient viewing window. This year Saturn's rings are barely visible. They are nearly edge-on in January , and tilt up to a slight four-degree angle showing a last glimpse of the south side of the rings by May. After May the tilt narrows to edge-on in September. Saturn's conjunction with the Sun is also in September so this dramatic edge-on view will be difficult to see. Saturn will appear very close to the Sun at dusk. Then in October Saturn is visible in the morning just before dawn. It will rise a little earlier each morning through the fall months. November and December will offer a nice after-midnight observer’s nightcap.
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Saturn reaches opposition on March 8th, 2009 when it is visible all night long. 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. We see a great example of an opposition every month. Whenever there is a full moon, the moon is on one side of Earth and the sun is on the opposite side.
Saturn Viewing Tips
This year the Cassini Division, the large gap between the rings of Saturn, will be challenging if not impossible to see. But some of Saturn's largest moons will cast dark round shadows on the planet, and astro-photographers will be on the lookout for fleeting storms which look like white spots on the southern part of the planet.
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A view of Saturn and three of its moons (Tethys, bottom left; Mimas, bottom right; Dione, top). This image was taken Jan. 1, 2009 by Paulo Casquinha. |
What will Saturn look like through a telescope? It depends. You may be able to see the planet and the narrowing rings clearly, depending on such variables as the power and cleanliness of your optics and eyepieces. Weather and atmospheric conditions affect the view through your telescope, too. It is best to view Saturn when it is highest in the sky so there will be less atmospheric dust and turbulence between you and your target. In August through October, while both the Sun and the Earth cross the ring plane of Saturn, the planet will be near the Sun at sunset and then, after conjunction, visible before dawn. Unfortunately, Saturn will be very low on the horizon during these months. And we will see distorted views — distorted by the atmosphere magnified by the telescope eyepiece.
January 2009:
Saturn can be found in the constellation Leo until September. You'll easily spot the pale golden planet rising in the east-northeast by mid-evening towards the end of the month. The ring tilt is 0.8 degrees. Though the ring tilt narrows to edge-on in September, Saturn will be so close to the Sun that it will offer an unsatisfactory viewing opportunity. Be sure to look at Saturn's narrow ring this month - this will be the month for photos.
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A view of Saturn in late 2007. This image was taken Dec. 29, 2007 by Paulo Casquinha. |
February 2009:
Saturn is closer to Earth this month and the rings open a little revealing a 1.3 degree tilt. Does the planet look a little brighter to you this month?
It should!
March 2009:
Saturn is at opposition on March 8th. It rises at sunset, transits at midnight (at its highest elevation, best time for telescopic views) and sets at sunrise. Saturn's ring tilt opens to 2.3 degrees this month, and the planet is closest to Earth and therefore brighter. Join worldwide Saturn Observation Campaign members who will be showing and celebrating Saturn through their telescopes from the 8th to the 28th as their International Year of Astronomy event.
April 2009:
Saturn's ring inclination continues to widen to a 3.4 degree tilt. The ring surface you see is the south face of the rings for the next few months.
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A view of Saturn and Titan in 2009. This image was taken Jan 8, 2009 by Paulo Casquinha. |
Saturn starts the month in retrograde motion (moving westward). It will appear to stand still against the background stars of Leo on the 17th when Saturn resumes direct eastward motion. Look in the southwest sky for Saturn. The rings are open the widest of the year — to 4.1 degrees this month. Look for Saturn near the moon on May 4th and again on the 31st.
June 2009:
Saturn appears closer to Leo's Regulus than Virgo's Spica. Spica appears to be following Saturn across the southwestern sky. Saturn and Spica are close to the same magnitude. Notice the difference in color -- Spica is white and Saturn is golden. Saturn's ring tilt remains at four degrees this month, but will narrow next month. Look for Saturn near the moon on the 28th.
July 2009:
Saturn is the only evening planet, and is found in the western sky this month, setting by 10:30 p.m. this month. The rings narrow to a 3.2 degree tilt this month. As Saturn's distance from Earth increases, and the ring tilt narrows, Saturn appears fainter.
August 2009:
The best Saturn viewing window is ending, but the dramatic narrowing of the rings is worth attempting through a telescope. Take care not to look too closely at the setting sun, and never aim a telescope at the Sun when viewing other celestial objects like planets or you will damage your eyes.
Look for Saturn very low on the Western horizon just after sunset. It sets an hour after sunset by month’s end . The rings have narrowed to only 1.9 degrees this month. The Sun passes through Saturn's ring-plane on August 10th. The south face of the rings are very slightly tilted towards Earth, and the previously bright sun-lit ring, which looks like a straight line, will appear to have gone dark as we get a glimpse at the dark north side of the rings for the first time. Look for Saturn near Mercury on the 18th and near the moon on the 25th.
September 2009:
Saturn's rings become edgewise for the first time since 1996 on September 4th, when Earth passes through the ring-plane. But Saturn is so close to the sun — only eleven degrees away and so low on the Western horizon - that it will be impossible to get a good look through a telescope. Saturn's conjunction with the Sun is September 20 th, and by the end of the month, Saturn returns as a morning planet. When you look at Saturn in the dawn sky at the end of September and for the rest of the year you will be seeing the north face of the rings for the first time in 15 years!
October 2009
The early bird gets a wonderful view of Saturn, Mercury and Venus this month. On the 8th look for Saturn, tiny Mercury, and Venus together low on the eastern horizon 45 minutes before sunrise. On the 13th Venus and Saturn make a pretty pair. If you are up early, don't miss the moon near Mars on the 11th and 12th. And on the 16th the moon joins Venus and Saturn, all in the dawn sky. Saturn's ring tilt (showing the north face of the rings) is 1.5 degrees this month.
November 2009
Saturn now rises by 1:30 a.m. at the end of November, and the north face of the rings tilt toward us a t 3.1 degrees. Saturn once again becomes an excellent telescopic target for those who can stay up past midnight.
December 2009
Saturn's magnificent ring tilt show continues, as the rings open wider in December to 4.3 degrees from edge-on and by 4.9 degrees by month-end. And Saturn rises by 11:30 p.m. Look for Saturn near the moon on December 10 R 12; after midnight, that is.
Moons are listed in order of brightness |
Viewing Saturn's Moons:
How many moons does Saturn have? Check the Saturn's Moons page for the latest information. The largest, Titan, is easily visible in most telescopes. At western and eastern maximum elongation, the moon appears as an 8th magnitude object orbiting approximately five ring diameters from the planet. Titan orbits Saturn in about sixteen days. The next brightest moon, 10th magnitude Rhea, can be found orbiting about two ring diameters from Saturn. Saturn’s other visible moons are Tethys, Dione, Enceladus, Mimas, and Iapetus. Mimas and Enceladus are challenging to view because of their proximity to Saturns rings. Iapetus is much brighter at western elongation (magnitude 10.1) than at eastern elongation (magnitude 11.9). One side of Iapetus has the reflectivity of snow, and the other side is as dark as coal. At its brightest, Iapetus is located twelve ring diameters west of the planet. If you would like more information about the best times to view Iapetus in 2009, let us know.More Resources:
Want to learn more? Additional resources about Saturn and the Cassini Mission are available.
