Tag Archives: Night

The planet Saturn at night

Saturn At Night

Saturn is a prominent object in Earth’s nocturnal sky. The telescopic view of the outer gas giant planet and its beautiful rings frequently renders it a prominent subject at star parties. However, this impressive view of Saturn’s rings and night side is not accessible through telescopes in the vicinity of planet Earth. From the inner Solar System, the view is limited to Saturn’s daytime side. This image of Saturn’s slender crescent illuminated by sunlight and its extensive, intricate ring system in shadow was captured by the Cassini spacecraft. Launched from Earth, the robotic Cassini spent 13 years in Saturn’s orbit before being directed to enter the gas giant’s atmosphere on September 15, 2017.