HONOLULU (KHON2) — For anyone in Hawaiʻi this weekend, the sky offers a rare show. Saturn, the ringed giant, will rise bright in the evening and stay visible through the night.
Sage Constantinou, a graduate student at the University of Hawaiʻi Institute for Astronomy in Hilo, said the timing of Saturn’s revolution around the sun makes it easy to find.
“Here in Hawaiʻi, what you can expect, sort of on maybe Saturday night [Sept. 20], if you go out and look at the sunset, as soon as the sun dips below the horizon to a 180 and just peeking up over the horizon, if you have a view of the other horizon, should be, a star that should just be visible in that sort of, at that twilight hour,” Constantinou explained.
As the sky darkens, the planet will climb higher.
“That’ll be Saturn,” Constantinou said. “So, if you imagine Saturn’s on its way to orbit around the sun, we’re on our orbit. Inside that you can draw a straight line from Saturn through Earth to the sun. So, as we’re rotating over and the sun’s peeking under our horizon, Saturn’s just sort of coming up.”
A bright marker in the sky
To make it easier to spot, Constantinou pointed to a guidepost overhead.
“It should be just about as bright as the brightest star in the sky. Vega, which would be right above you at the time. So, that’s sort of one way to find it.”
NASA confirms Saturn is reaching “opposition” on Sunday, Sept. 21 at 2 a.m. EST, when Earth lines up directly between Saturn and the sun. That means, in HST, we’ll be able to see it beginning at 8 p.m. Saturday evening, Sept. 20.
This is when the planet looks closest and brightest all year. The Smithsonian reports Saturn will be about 1.28 billion kilometers away at that moment; but even from this vast distance, it will shine brighter than most stars.
What you see with a telescope
For those bringing out a small telescope, the experience can be even more rewarding than one might expect. Constantinou explained that Saturn’s brilliance in the night sky makes it surprisingly accessible, even with modest equipment.
“Planets being so bright, you don’t need a huge telescope to see some detail. If we get to around or give or take 100 times magnification, then you can start to see the rings and a little line of dots, sort of going, along either side. And those are actually its moons,” Constantinou said.
Through a simple backyard scope, observers can already pick out some of Saturn’s largest moons accompanying the planet in its orbit.
“You should be able to see, I think Titan, Danny and Rhea. So three little dots,” Constantinou said. With more powerful telescopes, though, the view only grows richer and more dramatic.
“Because the ring is in what we call an edge on configuration. So, you know, you may have seen the ring looking pretty big. In this case, it’s sort of in the same plane. So, it looks really thin, but that gives you a good chance to see some of the smaller moons, like Prometheus or Janus.”
More chances to watch
If you miss Saturn this weekend, the opportunity isn’t lost. The planet will remain a steady presence in the night sky for months to come.
“Saturn’s actually going to be part of our night sky for the next few months,” Constantinou explained. “It’ll start slipping away around February. Even though you won’t catch it at peak opposition, the view through a telescope will still be spectacular.”
For those on Hawaiʻi Island, there’s also a chance to see it alongside others who share the same wonder. A community stargazing event is planned on the Kona side, near Kohala.
“If you’re on [Hawaiiʻ] Island, there’s going to be a big stargazing gathering,” Constantinou said. “It’s a great chance to see Saturn, watch the sunset, and just take a moment to ponder our place in the universe.”
So, this weekend, look to the east after sunset. Saturn will rise and glow all night long as an unmistakable reminder of the beauty of the solar system, visible whether you have a telescope or not.
This weekend, look up after sunset. Saturn will rise in the east and shine all night. With or without a telescope, it is a chance to see one of the most remarkable sights in the solar system.