Re: [Utah-astronomy] Four of Saturn moon's to transit Saturn's face 2-24
Looking at the NASA Solar System live simulator (and the animated gif at the bottom of the NASA press release), at 2-24-2009 10 UT (2-24-2009 3:00 MST), I'm showing the main event - Titan's transit of the northern hemisphere just about to begin. By 12 UTC (5AM MST), Titan is in the middle of the disk. At 10UT (3AM), Saturn is at az 214 alt 50. At 12UT (5AM), Saturn is at az 247 alt 32. Beginning around 10UT, minor moon Mimas will start skirting along the top of the rings (apparent motion) followed by Enceladus a bit after 11 UT. Whether Mimas and Enceladus make it to the center of the disk before local nautical sunrise, I couldn't say. As an added bonus, as Saturn is rising (az 89, alt 9) in the east on the previous night, 2-24-2009 3UT (2-23-2009 20:00 MST 8pm MST), Coment C/2007 N3 Lulin will be a mere 2 deg 10 arcmin south of Saturn and will be streaking past Saturn through out the night - expanding its distance to 2 deg 51 arcmin by 12UT (5AM). This also happens to be the night that C/Lulin is predicted to be at its max brightness. Interesting wide-field photo op. Moon is below the horizon. Not all four Moons in front of the disk, but one on the disk, two skirting the rings and one bright comet nearby will do just nicely. Weather permitting, be there or be square. Clear Skies - Kurt
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Canopus56