Saturn Watch Programme on Sunday Night

The District Science Centre has made arrangements to watch the ‘Saturn Opposition’ on May 10 and the phenomenon can be viewed between 7 pm and 8.30 pm.   

The District Science Centre has made arrangements to watch the ‘Saturn Opposition’ on May 10 and the phenomenon can be viewed between 7 pm and 8.30 pm.   

According to the centre’s officer in-charge J R Pazhanisawamy, once in  378 days, Earth passes between Saturn and Sun, when the planet will be closer to the Earth and this celestial event is known as ‘Opposition’.

The ‘Saturn Opposition’ is taking place on 10 May this year. Sky watchers can observe the planet at its finest throughout the night as the planet will set only by sunrise on the next day. 

Pazhaniswamy said during the ‘Opposition’ the ringed planet will be at a distance of 129.9 crore km from the Earth.  Saturn brightens in this month to a magnitude of 0.06.  It will be relatively close to Earth, throughout May 2014 and it will be in the constellation Libra.

The 2009 ‘Opposition’ was on March 8 while in 2010, it was on March 21.  The 2011 Opposition was on April 4, in 2012 it was on April 15, while in 2013, it occurred on April 28.  The 2015 ‘Opposition’ will be on May 23 as this is normal regular event.

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