Look up - Saturn!

Christopher Go

I've been a volunteer instructor at Powell Observatory - http://www.askc.org/powell.htm
in Louisburg, KS for about 15 years (note on the website under 2011 Observing Schedule that Powell officially opens May 7). The object that the public always asks about is Saturn. The main question is can you see Saturn's rings in a small telescope? The answer is YES!

Saturn is big and bright in the evening sky for the rest of April and all of May. Go outside about 10:00 PM CT and face southeast. Look up about 45 degrees (remember 90 degrees is straight overhead) and the bright star you'll see is Saturn. Directly below Saturn (about 30 degrees) is another bright star - Spica. Spica is in the Virgo constellation and Saturn is now drifting through Virgo. Spica is 250 light years away and 1900 times more luminous than our Sun. Actually, Spica consists of 2 stars that are very close together.

If you own a small telescope or have a friend who owns one, go out and take a look at the rings of Saturn. I'm guessing you'll need at least 25X magnification. Majority of binoculars are just not powerful enough. Most store bought binos are 7X35 (7 is the magnification) and these numbers are imprinted on the binos. I own a pair of 10X50 binos and I can't see the rings.

The picture (above) of Saturn was taken April 16. This is how the rings will be oriented when you see them. If you are looking through a more powerful scope - you may notice tiny stars around Saturn. These are Saturn's moons. On a real good clear night I can see 6 - 9 moons in my telescope (Saturn has at least 62).

I just added a new picture of me standing next to my telescope. I want to thank Tom Martinez for taking the picture. Tom is an observing buddy and great astrophotographer.
Check out Tom's blog - http://tomjmartinez.blogspot.com/

Next blog - next week