Saturn to light up new year

Kansas City Star ^ | December 31, 2003 | LUISA YANEZ, Miami Herald

[LurkedLongEnough]

Saturn, the giant ringed planet, will be putting on its own light show New Year's Eve, the brightest it has been in a quarter of a century.

The cosmic explanation: Saturn is in what astronomers call ``opposition.''

''That simply means Saturn is directly opposite the sun as seen from Earth,'' said Jack Horkheimer, executive director of the Miami Planetarium.

To add to its visibility, Saturn is currently tilted toward Earth, making its rings more visible.

Those famous rings will act as a giant reflector, bouncing more sunlight back than usual.

Should you have something else to do at midnight -- or if the weather clouds up -- the viewing of Saturn's rings looks favorable through March.

But if skies are clear, tonight's event should be quite a cosmic showing, Horkheimer said.

''With even the cheapest telescope that you might have gotten for Christmas, you will be able to see its beautiful rings,'' Horkheimer said.

Starting at sunset, Saturn will be visible to the naked eye as it climbs the eastern sky.

At midnight, it should be almost overhead, its brightest and closest point to Earth, about 748,340,000 miles.

However, Saturn won't be the brightest object in the sky.

That honor goes to Sirius, which will be parked due south of Saturn.

Earth and Saturn make a close approach, or opposition, about once a year. However, Saturn is making its closest approach to the sun since the early 1970s, making this opposition closer than usual.

''I think it's a different kind of light show for people to welcome in the New Year,'' Horkheimer said.

And in case you miss it, you'll have a long wait: Saturn won't be at opposition again on New Year's Eve until the year 2680.

[LurkedLongEnough]

Come out with your almanacs up.

[Xenalyte]

Saturn to light up new year

Okay, come clean . . . what are you and Xena's Guy planning to do with my car?

[Thinkin' Gal]

Beware of Saturns containing almanacs. :-O

[djf]

Hmmm... if it's clear, I might try looking, wonder if my 8X50 Binocs will work. Years ago, I gave away my 6" B&L refractor, a telescope is almost useless in Seattle.

[COBOL2Java]

At midnight, it should be almost overhead, its brightest and closest point to Earth, about 748,340,000 miles.

My Saturn would definitely need a couple tankfills to make that trip :0)

[quack]

However, Saturn won't be the brightest object in the sky

That privilage will go to...........Uranus!LOL!Been waiting on Uranus jokes.

[Alberta's Child]

LOL. The day Uranus lights up the night sky, even Osama bin Laden will cower in fear.

[templar]

I wonder what the astrologers will be saying about this.

[quack]

"I see Uranus"?

I have to everything around here.

[quack]

should be-I have to DO everything around here.

[MineralMan]

[facedown]

Bump; ping.

[Atlas Sneezed]

But if skies are clear, tonight's event should be quite a cosmic showing, Horkheimer said.

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Idiot. Tonight's "event" is visually indistinguishable from viewings of the planet for the past month, and next month. This is a gradual process, and about as thrilling as the excitement of watching the earliest sunset of the year, knowing that is it 15 seconds earlier than tomorrow's sunset.

More useful would be info that says "for the next month, Saturn will be at its brightest..." so that readers who are clouded out tonight can know to look any other night this time of year.

[NYFriend]

""I see Uranus"?
I have to everything around here."

Ur right!

[Senormechanico]

The media did the same thing with Mars. Big buildup for the big night, but it had been very bright for months before and it was bright for months after. It's still out there, and easy to spot.

SM

[Professional Engineer]

ping