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Viewing Saturn in 2008
January through July are the best months to view Saturn this year. Many SOC members worldwide report hundreds of Saturn viewing events throughout the year. Earth and the sun passed through Saturns ring plane in 1995 and 1996, providing a nearly edge-on view of the rings. The ring tilt increased (opened wider) year by year to a maximum tilt of 27 degrees in early 2003. The tilt of the rings has been decreasing since 2003. The ring tilt decreases (closes slightly) each year until 2009, when well again see an edge-on, or nearly invisible view of the rings. This years ring tilt angle varies from 10 degrees down to 1 degree.
Opposition:
Saturn reaches opposition on Feb. 24, 2008. 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.
Where can I find Saturn?:
This link will let you create a star chart illustrating Saturn as it appears from your location.
What will Saturn look like? It depends. You may be able to see the planet and 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. If you are observing Saturn at low power through a small 60mm - 100mm aperture telescope, it will look like a golden oval and you may not see the rings distinctly. Some small aperture telescopes will show the moon Titan, the rings and the Cassini Division, the large gap between the rings of Saturn, while others will not. Larger telescopes will reveal not only the gold and brown cloud bands (bright zones and darker belts) on the planet but also the Cassini Division. Through a large telescope, you should also be able to see several of Saturns moons in addition to Titan. 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. Below is a list of optimum viewing times to observe Saturn in 2008:
January 2008:
Saturn can be found in the constellation Leo all year long. Youll easily spot the pale golden planet rising in the east-northeast by mid-evening towards the end of the month. The south side of the rings faces Earth. This month Saturn shines at magnitude +0.7, its equatorial diameter is 19.1 arc seconds, and the ring inclination is - 6.7 degrees.
February 2008:
Saturn reaches opposition Feb. 24, rising at sunset and setting near dawn. This month Saturn shines at magnitude 0.4, its equatorial diameter is 19.8 arc seconds, and the ring inclination is -7.5 degrees. Saturn Observation Campaign members will be conducting many events showcasing Saturn during February.
March 2008:
Saturn can be found near Leo’s bright star Regulus from now until June. The rings are a little wider open this month. In March, Saturn dims a little to at magnitude 0.2, its equatorial diameter is 20.0 arc seconds, and the ring inclination is -8.5 degrees.
April 2008:
Saturns ring inclination continues to widen slightly. This month Saturn shines at magnitude +0.4, its equatorial diameter is 19.6 arc seconds, and the ring inclination is -9.6 degrees.
May 2008:
Saturn halts its retrograde motion this month, pulling away to the east of Regulus. Through telescopes, notice the shadow cast on the rings by the globe of Saturn, as Saturn is at eastern quadrature, 90 degrees east of the sun. This is when the planets shadow on the rings is most prominent. Earth moves away from Saturn and the rings are beginning to close, making the magnitude of the planet dim. In May, Saturn shines at magnitude +0.6, its equatorial diameter is 18.4 arc seconds, and the ring inclination is -9.9 degrees.
June 2008:
Mars and Saturn are near Regulus this month, but they are low in the western sky at dusk. This month Saturn shines at magnitude +0.7, its equatorial diameter is 17.7 arc seconds, and the ring inclination is -9.6 degrees.
July 2008:
Saturn and Mars have a close conjunction on July 10 and 11, but the two planets set only an hour or two after sunset. This month Saturn shines at magnitude +0.9, brighter than Mars at 1.7. Saturn’s equatorial diameter is 16.8 arc seconds, and the ring inclination is -8.6 degrees.
August 2008:
Saturn is in conjunction with the sun September 4. Northern observers may spot the planet in the evening twilight in early August, but it is lost to the solar glare by mid month. Try to view a close conjunction of Venus, Mars, and Saturn on August 13. Saturn shines at magnitude +0.8, its equatorial diameter is 16.3 arc seconds, and the ring inclination is -7.0 degrees.
September - December 2008:
By the end of September, Saturn rises two hours before the sun. In October, Saturn rises 4 hours before sunrise, after midnight in November, and before midnight in December. During these months, Saturn’s rings close dramatically, from 5.5 degrees in September to 1 degree in December.
| Moon |
Magnitude |
| Titan | 8.4 |
| Rhea | 9.7 |
| Tethys | 10.3 |
| Dione | 10.4 |
| Enceladus | 11.8 |
| Iapetus | 10.1-11.9 |
| Mimas | 12.9 |
Moons are listed in order of brightness
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Viewing Saturns Moons:
How many moons does Saturn have? Check the Saturns 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 5 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. Saturns other visible moons are Tethys, Dione, Enceladus, Mimas, and Iapetus. Mimas and Enceladus are challenging to view because of their proximity to Saturns 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 2007, let us know.
More Resources:
Want to learn more? Additional resources about Saturn and the Cassini Mission are available.
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