Posted on 05/29/2015 2:15:34 PM PDT by SunkenCiv
Explanation: Telescopic observers on Earth have been treated to spectacular views of Saturn lately as the ringed planet reached its 2015 opposition on May 23 at 0200 UT. Of course opposition means opposite the Sun in Earth's sky. So near opposition Saturn is up all night, at its closest and brightest for the year. These sharp images taken within hours of the Sun-Earth-Saturn alignment also show the strong brightening of Saturn's rings known as the opposition surge or the Seeliger Effect. Directly illuminated, the ring's icy particles cast no shadows and strongly backscatter sunlight toward planet Earth, creating the dramatic surge in brightness. Saturn currently stands in the sky not far from bright Antares, alpha star of the constellation Scorpius.
(Excerpt) Read more at 129.164.179.22 ...
[Credit and Copyright: Christopher Go]
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I still remember the first time I looked through a telescope strong enough to see Saturn and its moons. It was really special and I knew they existed. Imagine doing that in Galileo’s day.
You point out what appears to be a bright star in the sky and then let them take a look at what it really is. They can't believe that they're looking at another planet with rings and moons around it. The visual resolution isn't a whole lot different than the pictures of Saturn at the top of this thread.
Like so:
In Winter, I like to point at the Orion Nebulae, telling folks "See the belt of Orion? Those three stars next to each other, one, two, three? That second fuzzy one between the other two isn't a star. Now have a look at it through the telescope" and watch them gasp at what they're seeing.
On the chance you're in a location with no light pollution, you can point to the Andromeda galaxy (M31) without even using a telescope and they'll understand that it indeed is our nearby spiral galaxy neighbor... Then you show them in a telescope and they'll be hooked.
Even a cheapie $100 refractor beginner telescope from a toy store is WAY better than the telescopes Galileo used, and I've seen one that reportedly belonged to him myself.
Everyone thinks that all they're going to see is a slightly larger blob than they can see with their eyes.
If Saturn is in opposition, does that mean it’s joining Labour?
OK, I’ll be Sirius. About what order of magnitude would one need to be able to see Saturn’s rings? It’s obviously more than 8x, which is the best I’ve got without a telescope.
I’ve viewed Saturn through other folks’ scopes in the past; the first time was through a Celestron (old-school) C11, and while the rings were clear and obvious, the entire object was small in a field of stars. Most recently viewed it during ArtPrize 2013 I think it was, from the lawn of the museum, through one of those big dobsonian reflectors.
World’s oldest telescope? [ Assyrian telescope? ]
BBC | Thursday, July 1, 1999 | Dr David Whitehouse
Posted on 08/11/2007 8:19:25 AM PDT by SunkenCiv
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/1879740/posts
Saturn.
A treasure! But I have never seen the C or creepe ring.
One Day I hope to.
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