Saturn Dancing

The ringed planet, Saturn will be at its closest to Earth this weekend, a mere 762 million miles away.

It seems closer, doesn’t it? Saturn is always a treat to observe. Even in the most modest of telescopes, its

spectacular ring system is easy to see. Using finer optics and under steady skies, the dark Cassini Division

comes into view. Pictured here is Saturn showing variations in the angle of its rings. This was compiled from a

number of images taken by Alan Friedman of Buffalo, New York.

Nice work. Over the last couple of years, the rings have gone from being tipped way up (showing the planet’s

south pole) to their current position. In September of 2009, they’ll have dropped far enough that the rings

will be precisely edge on… and out of view ot Earthbound observers. In the meantime, enjoy the improving view

of the planets north pole. Saturn can be found rising in the east shortly after dark and is well placed for viewing by around 10:00pm. As a general rule, you should checkout Saturn at any given opportunity. You never know… you just might catch it on an especially good night.