Now is the time for observing Saturn in the night sky

A current view of Saturn (Center) and also in Opositions of the last six years of available (left) in a clockwise direction to bottom left. Credit: Efrain Morales Rivera, Jaicoa Observatory, AGUADILLA, Puerto Rico.

April global astronomy month and highlight the "Lord of the rings" is again prominent in the night sky! Last weekend, Saturn reaches opposition, if it is in its orbit closest to the Earth. Resistance means that Saturn opposite is directly the Sun in the sky, so that it rises in the East at sunset and sets in the West at sunrise - which means that it will be in the sky all night long! Saturn is also the only planet visible before midnight in April. But the beautiful ringed planet is looking even brighter, that it was for the last several months.

Special thanks goes to Efrain Morales Rivera for sending me this montage of Saturn images, shows a current view of Saturn in the middle and the ringed planet of contradictions of the last six years.

To opposition, a phenomenon is known as effect Seeliger, which combine might actually a few different effects to improve the brightness of Saturn: because the Earth is smack dab in the middle of the Sun and Saturn, sunlight comes from directly behind us and directly to Saturn. And there is also the phenomenon of coherent back scattering, which is where if you a ray of light on something lamps which many separate particles (like the rings of Saturn) is the light is reflected back with greater intensity from the direction opposite of the beam. The Middle image of Saturn in the montage above shows bright rings effect Seeliger, highlighting the 'snake storm' in the northern hemisphere.

Read more about the Seeliger effect on AstroBob's website.

This is also a great time to try, some Saturn moons, to see.

Astronomers without borders are a special event sponsors Saturn watch April 11-16. See their website for more information to "Saturn watch" and activity proposals.

Here are additional Saturn resources.

There are also several other funny watching events for global astronomy month:

On 9 April the Global Star Party will have as sweeping darkness around the Earth. This is the night your telescopes set up and the wonders of the sky with other parts.

Of 10 April, 16 is it Lunar Week, your laps look towards the Moon, and look at close up of the Moon crater and "Seas".

April 12 is to Yuri's night - and a very special as it is the 50th anniversary of the first people in the room.

April 17 is Sunday, highlighting our own star.

The month ends with the Lyrid meteor shower. On the 21 April/22 comfortable in something warm and spend
the night in the sky for meteors by dirt caused scanning Comet Thatcher left.

See more on the global astronomy month website.

You can a podcast of dark skies month on the April 5th learn 365 days of astronomy podcast.

Tagged as: astronomy, observe

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