Observing the Night Sky; Saturn Through the Lens

In the first year of the Bachelor of Science (Space Sc & Astrophysics) degree, the astronomy and astrophysics cohort heads out on an excursion to observe the night sky, focusing on a range of specific celestial objects.

From personal experience, a particular moment stood out that night. Amongst the views of star clusters and chatter of excitement, came an incredible opportunity to observe Saturn through an optical telescope - an awe-inspiring moment for anyone passionate about space. People took turns capturing the view by lining their phones up to the eyepiece, although limited by the telescope and phone camera technology, the silhouette of the ringed planet is truly unmistakable. It’s hard to express how one small moment like that can stick with you, and inspire you to remember why you fell in love with space in the first place. Seeing a planet with your own eyes, that you’ve grown up learning about and only knowing through images and textbooks is surreal, especially when provided with the opportunity to capture that memory - regardless of the quality.

A photo of Saturn through a telescope taken between 7:00pm and 9:00pm on the 8th of August, 2023

Some short thoughts on the planet itself. As the sixth planet from the Sun and the second largest in the solar system (NASA, 2024b), Saturn is composed mostly of hydrogen and helium. Surrounded by its iconic 282,000km ring system that extends outwards from the planet’s already enormous 120,500km diameter, studying Saturn’s attributes is a crucial contribution to our understanding of how the space we see today formed (NASA, 2024a).

Personally, this experience marked a huge shift from knowing and learning about something so distinct, to physically seeing it framed through the lens of a telescope. Witnessing Saturn firsthand, reignited an excitement for space and what’s still to come.

Although the capture was imperfect, you can clearly see the rings that make Saturn instantly recognisable to anyone. Moments like this deepen your connection with space while sparking curiosity about the industry and your future place within it.

• Citations

  NASA (2024a). Saturn - NASA Science. [online] science.nasa.gov. Available at: https://science.nasa.gov/saturn/.

  NASA (2024b). Saturn: Facts - NASA Science. [online] science.nasa.gov. Available at: https://science.nasa.gov/saturn/facts/.