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[Centaur]

Saturn and its rings are approaching opposition from the Sun on May 10th when the planet will be out all night. Greatest brilliance is expected a little earlier around May 5th. My detailed article and graphics related to this year’s apparition can be found at: CurtRenz.com/saturn.html

Photos and descriptions of Saturn and its rings would be welcome additions to this thread.

[Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe]

You know Curt....

I never directly observed the variable brilliance of the ring system before...but I just may try to document this phenomenon.

[Centaur]

Apr 18, 2014 12:29:02 GMT -6 Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe said:

You know Curt....

I never directly observed the variable brilliance of the ring system before...but I just may try to document this phenomenon.

Indeed, Joe, a superior planet's (or asteroid's) brightness has a sharp peak around the time of opposition from the Sun. It's called the oppositional flash (or surge, spike, effect) and also applies to a Full Moon. It's primarily due to the absence of shadowing. Due to the effect, a Full Moon is twelve times brighter than a Half Moon. In the case of Saturn, the effect is strong because near opposition from the Sun we do not see the shadows that ring particles cast on each other. The reason that this year Saturn's maximum brilliance is expected five days earlier than the opposition date is due to the ring tilt decreasing from our perspective while the planet appears in retrograde motion.

I wish you well with your experiment.

[Centaur]

This is the day of Saturn's opposition from the Sun. Enjoy the sight this weekend.