The Casini Probe is going to take a picture of Saturn with the Sun behind it, and the Earth is going to be photobombing it. So we can all go out and get our picture taken, between 5:27 and 5:42 Eastern Daylight Time today (try not to blink). This article mentions that that is the correct time for the light to make it to the probe 80 minutes later (I had been wondering if they remebered to account for that when they gave us the time).
But which direction should I be facing (direction and elevation)? I’d hate to be facing away from it, or be behind a building, or something. I’m in Michigan.
I found this page which will tell you where to find saturn in the sky. However, that might not help much. I suspect the Earth will be pretty much between Saturn and the Sun. And if it’s daylight where you are (and it will be in Michigan), that means you’re on the side facing toward the Sun, and away from Saturn.
Go to http://www.heavens-above.com/ and enter your location. Look up the “sky chart” for that time and find Saturn.
It looks like that sky chart initially populates with the current time. So adding an hour, I get that Saturn is close to South, at about 45 degrees elevation. Thanks.
I am a bit south of Oklahoma City, and Stellarium shows Saturn to be more E/SE at maybe 30-45 deg above the horizon (guessing) ~Ten minutes 'til daughter and I go out to wave. I think this is just so cool.
Shoot. I read this at 2:40 PDT. Not enough time to get outside.
Sorry, ZenBeam, but the first negatives are back, and someone was holding up two fingers behind your head.