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Kansas City can see Saturn at its brightest this weekend. Here's how to find it
KCUR • • science
Key Points:
- Saturn will be visible starting Friday, reaching peak brightness at opposition on Sunday, Oct. 4, when Earth aligns between Saturn and the Sun.
- To the naked eye, Saturn appears as a bright, yellowish point of light, but even a small telescope can reveal its rings, which are becoming more visible as their tilt increases.
- Powell Observatory in Louisburg, Kansas, will be open Saturday night for stargazing, with Saturn as a primary viewing target alongside galaxies and star clusters.
- The Warko Observatory at the University of Missouri-Kansas City is also offering Friday night viewings of Saturn, using a 16-inch reflector telescope ideal for planetary observation.
- For unaided viewers, Saturn can be identified in the eastern sky after sunset as a steady, yellowish light that does not twinkle, distinguishing it from stars.
