Community Corner

Saturn to be Perfectly Visible from Cortlandt, Peekskill July 19

Stargazers and astronomy lovers will be in for a treat on July 19 when Saturn is expected to be especially photogenic.

According to Corbis, the solar system will be backlit by the sun on Friday, making Saturn’s rings incredibly visible for the first time since 2006. NASA’s Cassini spacecraft will be taking photos of Earth as it looks from Saturn on Friday as well, Space.com reports. Although the spacecraft has taken images from Saturn before, this will be the first time the public has been notified in advance. 

NASA's Jet Propulsion Labratory has some tips on its Saturn Observation Campaign website:

Find out what's happening in Peekskill-Cortlandtwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

What will Saturn look like through a telescope? It depends. You may be able to see the planet and the wide-open 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. 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.

July 2013:
The best Saturn viewing window is nearing its end and Saturn now sets before midnight. It’s highest at dusk, and the rings are opening wider. Saturn reaches east quadrature when it is 90 degrees east of the sun on the 28th. This gives the planet a 3-D appearance when the planet casts a shadow on the rings.

Find out what's happening in Peekskill-Cortlandtwith free, real-time updates from Patch.


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