Looking for Saturn? Stay up late, or rise early
17 comments Print Me Email to FriendTonight is Thursday, Nov 20 2008
People contemplating telescopes as Christmas gifts for their loved ones will want to read this. See the chart at left? That’s the planet your friend or family member will want to see first! It’s Saturn, whose glorious rings are easily viewed through small telescopes.
Our chart shows Saturn before dawn on Friday, near the moon. If you find it near the moon Friday morning, and notice the stars around it, it’s possible you can learn to recognize Saturn again. I say possible because Saturn is the faintest of the bright planets. It’s not as noticeable as Jupiter and Venus, which are now drawing closer together in the west after sunset.
Still, Saturn is now in front of the constellation Leo, which contains some noticeable patterns of stars. And those patterns will help you find Saturn. As always in trying to learn the stars, look for the patterns of stars near Saturn in order to learn to recognize this world. Also notice that Saturn is golden in color. And if you contrast its light with nearby stars, you’ll see that Saturn shines steadily. So you will come to know this world, to recognize it as you’d recognize the face of a friend.
The good news is that – while this most sought-after of planets has been visible only before dawn – it is now rising earlier and earlier. Saturn can be found in the hours after midnight now, as you can see for yourself if you stay up late tonight to watch the moon and Saturn sail over the eastern horizon. Saturn will continue rising earlier – a fact caused mainly by Earth’s faster motion around the sun – and it’ll be visible in the evening in early 2009, just in time for those who pull the wrapping paper off new telescopes on Christmas morning.
The bad news is that Saturn’s rings are not at their best now, nor will they improve by early ’09. Saturn’s rings appear very open to us on Earth – and then nearly edge-on – twice in every 30 years (the length of Saturn’s orbit around the sun). The rings were most open as viewed from Earth in 2003. That was a grand year for viewing Saturn’s rings! They will be most edge-on in 2009 … so … you get the idea. This coming year will not be the best for viewing the rings of Saturn. Maybe an iPhone for Christmas this year?
Ok, I understand about Saturn and that it’s up before dawn. But I am having trouble spoting it. What I see in the East about 40o up is a bright object, star, that flashes like crazy. I don’t think this is Saturn. Planets do not flash different colors. Can someone tell me what’s up. No pun intended.
Thanks
David
I believe what you are seeing is the star Spica in the constellation Virgo. On a direct line between Spica and the moon on the morning of November 19, you should spot Saturn.
Mark, I’m not sure David is seeing Spica. He says what he’s seeing is 40 degrees up,and Spica won’t get nearly that high up before dawn now.
David, are you sure your flashing object is in the east? The start Sirius is up before dawn, but it’s more south to southwest. It’s a great flasher and flashes in colors of red, green and white. We’ve been getting many reports across this website this month of people spotting it.
Deborah
By the way, it’ll be easy to find Saturn on Friday of this week because this planet will be near the moon before dawn on that morning. Here’s a chart about that: http://www.earthsky.org/skywatching/looking-for-saturn-stay-up-late-or-rise-early
Well, I found out what that Star is this morning. While looking at the Big Dipper I saw that the handle was pointing right at the star. And, if I remember right it points at the big orange giant Arcturus. So, where is Saturn? It must be very faint.
Thanks.
David
P.S. I’m looking through the new GO 100/45’s x40
David, cool! If you’ve found Arcturus, I think I can guide you to Saturn. You’re facing east before dawn. You see Arcturus. If you continue to extend the handle of the Dipper outward, you’ll come to another star, Spica. “Follow the arc to Arcturus, and speed on to Spica.”
Saturn is to the upper right of Spica. Arcturus, Spica and Saturn make a big, almost equilateral triangle in the eastern predawn sky.
Tomorrow morning – Thursday, Nov. 20 – the moon will be just above and to the right of Saturn. Friday morning, Nov. 21, the moon will be right next to Saturn.
Clear skies!
Deborah
Thanks Deborah. Now with your help, I can find it. Friday morning will tell the or show the picture.
David
On or about November 6, 2007 there was an alignment of stars with the moon in the East (a straight verticle line). I’ve misplaced my skychart for that night. Does this happen often? Will it happen again?
On or about November 6, 2007 there was an alignment of stars with the moon in the East (a straight verticle line). I’ve misplaced my skychart for that night. Does this happen often? Will it happen again?
could the flashing star that you are seeing be asteroid vesta? I have been watching it for a few weeks now, i live in AZ and it is in the NE at sunset, and moves to the SE by midnight. If I am right it is below Orion’s belt.
there are two bright planets or stars for the pass two nights what are they
there are two bright planets or stars for the pass two nights what are they
Hi Ann.
Those two brilliant points of light are the planets Jupiter and Venus, the two brightest celestial bodies to light up the sky after the sun and the moon! Venus is the brighter of the two planets and lower down. Night by night, Venus will climb upward toward Jupiter, and these shining beauties will have a conjunction by the end of November. Read more about this Venus/Jupiter conunction on our November 30 EarthSky Tonight.
Bruce
Can you include the other planets seen at dusk and night time.
I did not even read this article. What I would like to know is what it was I saw this evening at approximately 5:25 pm, MST. I live in Fort McMurray, Ab, and on my drive home I watched something spectacular fall out of the sky. At first, it appeared to be a very large falling star (50 times larger). It was green and then exploded about halfway down, (I’m assuming when it hit the earth’s atmosphere), and then continued to fall, orange in color, instead of the previous green, until it was gone from sight. I’m assuming I did not see glare from impact, if there was one, because of the curviture of the earth. Please excuse my ignorance as I have no knowledge of astronomy, but would like to know what it was that I witnessed. Someone else I know called moments later to say that they saw the same thing from 550 km south of here. Please advise ASAP.
I am very new at truly “seeing” what I look up at in the sky and am just beginning to try and figure out what things are. Thursday night Nov 2oth at about 5:40pm (in Plano TX) I looked up in the western sky and saw “something” heading south, but I don’t know what. It was a a bright yellowish ball, with a white tail that had two distinct “sides” coming off the top and bottom of the ball. The sky was not yet dark, but the object was very highly visible even in a fairly light sky. I would love to know what I was looking at. THANKS!
i saw 2 bright “stars” in the western sky on nov. 23 from my home in hershey pa. does any one know what they were?