Viewing Saturn in 2011
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Viewing Saturn in 2011
April through August are the best months to view Saturn at night this year. Look in the east just after sunset in April. Saturn's north pole is tipped toward us now. And this year Saturn's rings are more inclined than last year — tilted close to 10 degrees in January, dipping down to 7 degrees tilt in June, tipped up to 11 degrees wide in October, and to nearly 15 degrees by January 2012! Saturn's conjunction with the Sun is in October, so the planet is lost in the glare of the sun through much of September and October, appearing in the morning sky close to dawn in late October through December. It will rise a little earlier each morning through November and December.
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Diagram of Saturn at opposition |
Saturn reaches opposition with the Sun on April 4 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 begins with Saturn's rings tilted 10.1 degrees. Saturn's north pole is now tilted towards Earth. Between January and July, the ring tilt narrows to only 7.5 degree because of the orbital position of Earth. Then from August until January 2012 the tilt increases to 14.8 degrees.
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.
January 2011:
Saturn can be seen in the constellation Virgo, rising just before midnight, but your best views will be just before dawn, when Saturn is at its highest this month.
February 2011:
Saturn is the only evening planet visible this month after Jupiter sets. It rises in the late evening. It's joined by Venus before dawn. The rings tilt open to 10 degrees wide this month.
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Saturn in January 2010. Image courtesy of Sadegh Ghomizadeh |
April 2011:
Saturn is at opposition on April 4. It rises at sunset, transits at midnight (at its highest elevation, making this the best time for telescopic views) and sets at sunrise. At opposition 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 this spring and summer. From now through July, the ring inclination tilts narrower. So look at Saturn's northern hemisphere through a telescope – and try to see the great storm circling its globe.
May 2011:
You'll get a great view of almost edge-on rings this month, as the ring tilt narrows to a scant 1.9 degrees. You don't have to wait so long to catch Saturn at its highest elevation. It is halfway up the sky by two hours past sunset this month, and by month-end is high as soon as it is dark. This will be your last chance to see the rings so narrow for many years. Look for several of Saturn's moons along the ring plane - on both sides of the narrow rings. It is a gorgeous sight! Meanwhile asteroids Ceres and Pallas are easy to spot this month, well, easier than usual anyway.
June 2011:
Look for Saturn high in the southern sky this month. It's perfectly placed for campside and city viewing, even if there are trees! Saturn meanders among the bright stars of the constellation Virgo this month. It's close to a very pretty double star – Porrima or Gamma Virginis -- all month long. This pair of stars, plus beautiful Saturn, are well worth looking at in a telescope!
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Saturn in December 2010. Image courtesy of Sadegh Ghomizadeh |
August 2011:
Saturn sets just three hours after sunset, low in the western sky, and the rings are open over 8 degrees, finally! Other planets join the evening lineup as we lose Saturn. Jupiter rises an hour after Saturn sets. Mars rises halfway between midnight and dawn.
September 2011
Saturn disappears from the evening sky this month, as it nears its conjunction with the sun. That's too bad, because the rings are opening wider this month. But it's time to view bright Jupiter and to wait up for Mars to rise at about 2 a.m. local time.
October 2011
Saturn is in conjunction with the sun Oct. 1. We won't see it for most of the month, but by the end of October it will reappear in the morning sky. It is worth getting up early to see the rings, which have widened to an opening tilt of 11.1 degrees.
November 2011
Look low in the sky before dawn for Saturn to re-emerge from behind the sun. The ring tilt is now 12.6 degrees – well worth getting up for. Will the bright planet-circling storm in the northern hemisphere still be visible? On Nov. 22, before dawn, look for a pretty arc of Saturn, Virgo's bright star Spica, and the crescent moon.
December 2011
Saturn's magnificent ring tilt show continues to increase from 8.1 to 9.1 this month, as the rings open wider in December. Saturn rises well just after midnight and, on Dec. 1 and 2 look for Saturn near the moon about 45 minutes before dawn.
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 16 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 Saturn's 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 12 ring diameters west of the planet. If you would like more information about the best times to view Iapetus in 2011, let us know.
More Resources:
Want to learn more? Additional resources about Saturn and the Cassini Mission are available.
