Saturn and Super Blue Moon Converge in Rare Celestial Event
On the evening of August 30, sky gazers will be treated to a rare sight as Saturn and the Super Blue Moon come together in a celestial convergence. The full moon will act as the perfect guide to spotting Saturn, as the two celestial bodies pass within just a finger’s width at arm’s length.
The Super Blue Moon, which is the second full moon of the month, will be in close proximity to Saturn, creating a captivating spectacle for those who are able to witness it. Astronomers refer to this arrangement as a conjunction, meaning both Saturn and the moon will have the same right ascension, or longitude, in the sky. Additionally, both will be located in the constellation of Aquarius during their close approach.
According to In the Sky, observers in New York City will be able to witness the close approach of the moon and Saturn shortly after sunset at around 7:25 p.m. EDT. The two celestial bodies will then set just before sunrise on August 31 at around 6:07 a.m. EDT. Although they will be too widely separated to be viewed together through a telescope, their closeness will allow them to be observed together with binoculars.
During the conjunction, the moon will shine brightly with a magnitude of -12.8, while Saturn will appear dimmer with a magnitude of 0.4. The moon may dominate in terms of apparent size in the night sky, but this is merely due to its proximity to Earth compared to Saturn, which is the sixth planet from the sun.
In actual size, Saturn is much larger than the moon. If the two were at equal distances from Earth, Saturn would easily overshadow the moon. The moon has a diameter of approximately 2,200 miles (3,500 kilometers), which is about a quarter of Earth’s diameter. In contrast, Saturn boasts a diameter of around 72,300 miles (116,500 kilometers), making it 9.5 times wider than our planet. To put it into perspective, it would take at least 34 bodies the size of our moon to fully encircle Saturn’s equator.
The enormity of Saturn becomes even more impressive when considering its volume. Earth could fit around 50 moons within the space occupied by Saturn. In fact, it would take approximately 760 Earths to match Saturn’s volume. To fill the same space, we would need around 3,800 moons. This makes Saturn the second-largest planet in our solar system, surpassed only by Jupiter.
For those eager to catch a glimpse of the moon in conjunction with Saturn, there are plenty of resources available, including guides on the best telescopes and binoculars for stargazing. Additionally, photography enthusiasts can check out guides on how to capture stunning images of the moon and planets, as well as recommendations for cameras and lenses.
As this rare astronomical event unfolds, Space.com invites readers to share their photos of the moon with Saturn. Simply email your images, along with your name and location, to [email protected].