Friday, July 22, 2011

Saturn in Virgo, setting for Fall

I snapped this shot of Saturn from my porch at about 1030 last night.  Saturn will be visible on the Western horizon after sunset for a few more weeks, starting lower and lower on the horizon each night.  The Sun will eventually eclipse it, and it will remain hidden in the area of the Sun until it reappears in the mornings of early November, rising in front of the Sun just before sunrise.

click photo to enlarge
In the photo, Saturn is the brightest star, center-right just above the horizon.  Just beside Saturn is Porrima of Virgo.  Two other stars from Virgo are also visible in the picture, however, the star Spica, Virgo's brightest, had already set behind one of the trees by the time I got my camera ready.

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