Pictures from the EarthSky Neighborhood of Saturn, at its closest and brightest for 2023.
Earth flew between Saturn and the sun on Sunday, September 27, 2023. It was Saturn’s yearly opposition, when the planet appeared reverse the sun in our sky. All this previous week, Saturn has appeared roughly reverse the sun, rising within the east at sundown and visual all night time, as seen from across the globe. EarthSky neighborhood photographers had been busy catching it with telescopes, and close to the Blue supermoon on Wednesday night time, August 30. Get pleasure from these photographs! Submit your photo to EarthSky Community Photos.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Nancy Ricigliano in Lengthy Island, New York, made this picture of Saturn on August 27, the day Earth flew between Saturn and the sun. She wrote: “I used to be proud of the outcomes of my picture of Saturn at opposition. Regardless that the clouds saved coming and going I lastly was capable of get a 3-minute video to supply a picture.” Thanks, Nancy!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Makrem Larnaout in Tunis, Tunisia, shared this picture of Saturn close to opposition on August 28, 2023. Thanks, Makrem!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Martek Martek in Riverside, California wrote: “That is Saturn, taken from a yard telescope … It was taken close to opposition. The rings are nonetheless vivid.” Thanks, Martek!
Saturn close to the August 30 Blue supermoon
Of their months of opposition, planets at all times seem close to Earth’s full moon. That’s as a result of – with a purpose to be at opposition – Earth should be between that outer planet and the sun. And – with a purpose to seem full – Earth should be between the moon and sun. So the moon and a planet close to opposition should be situated in the identical course in Earth’s sky. Listed here are some photographs of Saturn close to opposition and close to the August full moon, which was 2023’s closest supermoon, a Blue Moon, and the final full moon of summer time.
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Linda Fritts in Maine posted this picture of the brilliant supermoon and Saturn on August 30, 2023. Thanks, Linda, and shout out to Lars Jensen!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Teresa Molinaro in Bagheria, Sicily, Italy captured this picture on August 30, 2023, and wrote: “Saturn, prime left, and the final full moon of this summer time.” Thanks, Teresa!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Soumyadeep Mukherjee in Kolkata, India, took this picture on August 30, 2023, and wrote: “The picture captures the Blue supermoon and Saturn within the skies of Kolkata, India.” Thanks, Soumyadeep!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Dolores Moreno in Highland, California wrote: “Backyard by Blue supermoon mild.” Thanks, Dolores!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Deborah Sindell caught Saturn and the moon from Miami Seaside, Florida on August 30, 2023. Thanks, Deborah!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Ahmad Naeem in Muzaffargarh Metropolis, Pakistan wrote: “It is a composite or mixture of two photographs captured via a Cell Cellphone digital camera and processed fully throughout the cellphone as effectively … Tremendous Blue Moon meets the Lord of the Rings, Saturn.” Thanks, Ahmad!View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Paul C. Peh wrote from Hawaii: “The ‘Blue Moon’ rising above a small cinder cone on the flanks of Mauna Kea in Hawaii. barely above it’s the planet Saturn.” Thanks, Paul!
Backside line: Earth flew between the sun and Saturn final week, on August 27. Then Earth was between the sun and moon, at full moon on August 30. Pictures right here of Saturn and the moon!
Deborah Byrd created the EarthSky radio collection in 1991 and based EarthSky.org in 1994. Right this moment, she serves as Editor-in-Chief of this web site. She has received a galaxy of awards from the broadcasting and science communities, together with having an asteroid named 3505 Byrd in her honor. In 2020, she was the Schooling Prize from the American Astronomical Society, the most important group {of professional} astronomers in North America. A science communicator and educator since 1976, Byrd believes in science as a power for good on the earth and a significant device for the twenty first century. “Being an EarthSky editor is like internet hosting a giant international celebration for cool nature-lovers,” she says.
