Planet Saturn to be visible on Feb 10

Chennai, Feb 8 (UNI) A spectacular view of the Saturn, the ringed planet, will be witnessed throughout the night on Saturday as it will disappear only by sunrise the next day.

As the sun sets, the Saturn will rise in full glory taking up position diametrically opposite to the sun in relation to the Earth.

Astronomers call this phenomenon as ''Opposition.'' ''This is an advantageous time to observe the planet,'' Tamil Nadu Science and Technology Centre Executive Director P Iyamperumal told UNI here today.

In this position it would be fully illuminated by the Sun and appear larger and brighter.

Mr Iyamperumal said, ''On the average, at its most distant point, the distance between the cloud-covered planet and the Earth will be 157 crore km.'' The Saturn will move to a point 180 degrees away from the Sun-- diametrically opposite the Sun, as viewed from the Earth. It is called the ''Opposition'' and is practically the best time to observe the celestial event.

It is in this configuration that the planet makes its closest advance to the Earth.

Mr Iyamperumal also pointed out that during the course of ''Opposition'', the apparent angular size of Saturn will grow to 20.32 arc seconds (one arc second is 1/3600th of a degree) as the distance between the Earth and the planet would be reduced to 122.7 crore km.

What will it look like? Weather permitting and through telescopes, one can view it as a golden ball shining amid its rings.

''We can also spot the moon Titan and the Cassini Division (large gap between the rings),'' he said.

The Saturn, unlike other planets, features a spectacular system of rings, which will not be as clear as it was in 2003, he said. ''As our planet and the Saturn travel in different orbits, the rings appear to be tilted and the tilt changes continuously to an observer from the Earth,'' he added.

''Now, the rings will be tilted by about a 14-degree angle to our sight. The tilt will decrease each year until 2009 when one can see it edge-on, or a nearly invisible view of the rings,'' added Mr Iyamperumal.

Tamil Nadu Science and Technology Centre would arrange for its public view on February 10 between 1930 hrs to 2200 hrs.

The celestial phenomenon occuring once in 378 days, is visible due to the 14-degree tilt of the rings.

UNI