Each planet of the Solar system is unique and attracts not only scientific interest, but also something like neighbour's curiosity of fans of astronomy. Saturn draws attention with the rings, the huge size, a set of satellites. It is possible to see all this in the good telescope. But search in the sky is really difficult because of features of its movement around the Sun, change of an inclination. And yet, having tried to find Saturn even by means of the ordinary field-glass, you derive inexpressible pleasure!
It is required to you
- Field-glass, telescope, different lenses, star chart, compass.
Instruction
1. First of all make sure that in time chosen by you for search Saturn is in opposition to Earth and the Sun. Opposition means that Earth is between Saturn and the Sun thanks to what this planet of the Solar system is well lit and is well visible from Earth. In 2011, according to the website Realsky, opposition of Saturn began on April 4. Consider that oppositions of Saturn happen annually, to small shift in two weeks of rather last year's date.
2. Choose time, on average in 40 minutes - 1 hour after sunset. Choose the open place, is desirable above. Look for the planet in the southwest of the twilight sky. At first it can be done with the naked eye. The to the north you are, the below for you Saturn over horizon level hangs. And therefore advantage in observation belongs to the southern regions of the country.
3. Find approximate reference points for search of Saturn. For this purpose you need information on the movement of Saturn and crossing of the known objects of the star sky by it - large stars of any constellations. Every year this information is updated on specialized astronomical resources. For example, in July, 2011 Saturn gets to the field of the constellation the Maiden and is very close to her gamma star called Porrima. I.e. the star and the planet from the point of view of the observer from Earth are in limits 1/4 degrees nearby. This infrequent phenomenon very beautifully, besides, is a good reference point.
4. Find Saturn in the field-glass or the telescope now. Even the small field-glass allows to see rings of Saturn in the form of easy cloudy congestions on each side. The telescope of 60-70 mm in size will allow to make out a planet disk in an environment of rings, and even a planet shadow on rings. Of course, the telescope, the better is more powerful. For studying cloudy congestions of Saturn take the telescope with a size of aperture of 100 mm, and for more detailed study of the planet – 200 mm that will allow to observe belts, zones, dark and light stains on the planet and also details of the structure of rings of Saturn.