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How to View Saturn From the Southern Hemisphere

Saturn is one of the four gas giants beyond the asteroid belt, sixth from the sun and the second largest planet in the Solar System. Saturn is one of the most highly recognizable celestial bodies in the night sky thanks to its spectacular rings made of ice and rock. Most of the time Saturn can be seen with the naked eye but some telescopic aid is required in order to distinguish the rings.

The majority of star charts available are geared towards the northern hemisphere but they can still be used as long as the viewer can read the constellations and stars near Saturn.

Things You'll Need

Star charts (preferably southern hemisphere)
Calendar
Telescope

Instructions

- 1
  Consult star charts.
  
  Star charts plotting the course of the planets are readily available on any number of sites such as NASA's Cassini Solstice Mission and Nakedeyeplanets.com.
  
  Many online charts are aligned for northern hemisphere viewing but simply flipping these charts upside down will give the viewer the plot of Saturn from a southern hemisphere vantage point
  
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  There will be certain periods of the year that Saturn's passage will be invisible to any place on Earth, such as when it travels close to or behind the sun.
- 2
  Mark visibility dates on the calendar.
  
  Doing this will help the observer plan when best to go outside and which direction to look.
  
  There are two important dates to make note of when charting Saturn on the calendar: opposition date and superior conjunction.
  
  Opposition date is the date in which Saturn is in direct opposition of the sun in relation to Earth. This is the date when Saturn is at its brightest magnitude.
  
  Superior conjunction is when Saturn is invisible behind the sun for about two weeks on either side of this date.
- 3
  Pull out a telescope.
  
  The more powerful the telescope, the better the view of Saturn. However, during the opposition date, Saturn can be seen with the naked eye and the rings can be made out with an average pair of binoculars.
- 4
  Look for recognizable constellations and stars in the sky.
  
  If the telescope doesn't have the capability to accurately plotting celestial position by hours and degrees, looking for a constellation (like the Big Dipper or Virgo) will help pinpoint the dot of light is Saturn.
- 5
  Point and scan with a telescope or binoculars.
  
  Aim the telescope in the general area of where Saturn should be according to the star charts. Saturn will be distinguishable from other stars in the sky because of its rings.

Astronomy