We are in for a spectacular event! Saturn will be in opposition, which means Earth is directly between Saturn and the Sun. This makes it the time of year when Saturn is at its biggest and brightest in our sky, offering spectacular views! This is possibly one of the most incredible sights in nature, so be there if you can! There will be a new moon this night, so it will be an ideal time to see Saturn.
We will meet at around 22:00 on September 19 at Näsetbadet, but keep in mind that the best viewing time will be after 23:00 or 24:00 when Saturn is to the south of us, so you will need to stay for several hours to get the best view.
If you're going by bus, you can get off at the Näsbovägen bus stop, and it is a short walk to Näsetbadet from there. If you aren't comfortable walking there alone at night, just let us know in the WhatsApp group and we will arrange to travel there together.
You are welcome to look through my telescope, and if you have your own telescope or binoculars, please bring them along to share the view—the more the merrier!
Of course, you are free to come and go as you please, but please be considerate and use a red light or keep your flashlight off when you are approaching the group. This is important for preserving everyone's night vision.
What to bring:
- Plenty of water, soda, or other non-alcoholic beverages
- Blankets and warm clothes
- Something to sit on (if desired)
- Binoculars (if you have them)
What to Expect
It's important to know that the view through an amateur telescope is not like the images you see from the Hubble Space Telescope. What you will see is the real, live thing.
Through the eyepiece, you can expect to see:
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A bright, sharp image of the planet Saturn floating in a black field of stars.
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The magnificent rings will be clearly and obviously visible, and you'll easily see the gap between the rings and the planet itself.
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If the atmosphere is steady that night, we should be able to spot the Cassini Division—a thin, dark gap running through the rings.
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We will also easily see Saturn's largest moon, Titan, shining like a nearby star.
It won't be as large or detailed as a photograph from NASA, but seeing Saturn with your own eyes is a truly magical and unforgettable experience.
As always, keep in mind that stargazing is very dependent on the weather, so we may need to cancel or reschedule on short notice if conditions aren't right for viewing. I will keep an eye on the forecast and give the go or no go ~24 hours before the event.
You can join the WhatsApp group for this event by first joining the Gothenburg Stargazers WhatsApp Community using the following link and then adding yourself to the "Saturn in Opposition - 9/19" group: https://chat.whatsapp.com/L3KEYpmIUkiAL5BarWMHCm?mode=ac_t
Note that this is a duplicate of the Saturn in Opposition event on September 20. It is the same event, just on different days. You can sign up for both, but we may move people who attend the September 19 event onto the waiting list for September 20 to make sure everyone gets a chance to come.
I hope to see all of you there! Happy stargazing :)
