Look to Half Moon Bay Skies for Peak Visibility of Saturn Friday

By Todd Richissin

Need a cheap date Friday night (or a cheap way to entertain the kids)?

Just head for somewhere dark, look to the skies, and you may see Saturn’s rings vividly for the first time since 2006.

Saturn, of course, is the most recognizable of the planets out there - its 3D-ish appearance makes it, in the eyes of many, the jewel of the solar system.

NASA has some great photos and video of Saturn, but it’s the alignment of the planets and the sun that should make for a great live show - and a photo opportunity that won’t come around again for years. 

The reason? Saturn’s entire system will be backlit by the sun.

And if you do take pictures, know this: NASA will be taking your picture, too - sort of.  

NASA’s Cassini spacecraft will be taking photos of Earth as it looks from Saturn.

As usual for celestial shows, your best viewing will be from a dark area unobscured by light pollution.

Of course, there’s always that pesky coastal fog that might throw a wrench into your neighborhood viewing party. So it’s best to know ahead of time. You can find out when the fog rolls in by creating your own personalized weather zone wherever you are using a new online tool from the National Weather Service.

Will you be attempting to catch a glimpse of Saturn this Friday? If so, where do you plan to go to watch? Log on and tell us in the comments area below.