Starting in 2014, Saturn can be seen close to the constellation Libra, moving on later that year to Scorpius. In may of 2015, Saturn will retrograde, meaning it will move from East to West, back toward Libra. This would be a prime viewing opportunity to find Saturn. Over the next ten years, Saturn will move steadily East in the sky of the Northern hemisphere, toward Capricornus. During a period of 2017, Saturn will become invisible to stargazers from Earth, as it will be too close to the Sun for us to see it.
May 10, 2014 May 23, 2015 June 3, 2016 June 15, 2017 June 27, 2018 July 9, 2019 July 20, 2020 August 2, 2021 August 14, 2022
In 2014, that constellation will be Libra, while in January of 2016, it will be directly North of the Antares star in the constellation Scorpius. You can look at Saturn’s path here: http://www. nakedeyeplanets. com/saturn. htm If you’re viewing on an oppositional date, aim your telescope due South.
In 2014, that constellation will be Libra, while in January of 2016, it will be directly North of the Antares star in the constellation Scorpius. You can look at Saturn’s path here: http://www. nakedeyeplanets. com/saturn. htm If you’re viewing on an oppositional date, aim your telescope due South.
If you’ve got a powerful telescope with a yellow filter, that can help isolate the particular light in Saturn’s spectrum, making it easier and more pleasurable to see.
Once you’ve gotten comfortable finding things in the night sky and you want to up the ante a bit, consider investing in a good quality telescope for viewing. Consider splitting the cost of a good one with some other astronomers and sharing the use of it. To view Saturn, a basic telescope would be more than sufficient for the beginner. If you want to get fancy, though, NexStar features telescope in the $800 range that locate objects in the sky for you by programming them in, while a professional 11-inch Schmidt Cassegrain runs in the neighborhood of $1,200. Get something to match your budget and commitment.
Look at their calendar and plan on making a visit during a particularly ripe viewing period for whatever you’re interested in seeing, then use the techniques and advice they offer in your future stargazing sessions. If you want to make a pilgrimage, Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles is probably the most famous observatory in America, while the Yerkes Observatory in Wisconsin and the McDonald Observatory in West Texas also offer equally stunning options in other regions of the country.
