A simulated view from NASA's Cassini spacecraft shows the expected positions of Saturn and Earth

A simulated view from NASA's Cassini spacecraft shows the expected positions of Saturn and Earth

A simulated view from NASA's Cassini spacecraft shows the expected positions of Saturn and Earth

Only for another time since we’ve been exploring space, and the very first time since 2006, the planets are aligning — literally — so that Saturn will be blocking sunlightPer cents harshest rays. Knowing that means NASA’s  Cassini spacecraft, which can be currently dedicated to cruising around Saturn, its moons and the magnificent rings, can shoot images of Earth and the ringed planet without worrying about frying the cameras, NASA says.

During a 15-minute period starting at 5:27 p.m. Eastern time and ending at 5:42 p.m. (from 2:27 p.m. until 2:42 p.m. Pacific time), Cassini cameras will need a number of pictures of the whole Saturn system in addition to Earth. We encourage Earthlings look outside and to wave at our robotic photographer, NASA writes on its Wave at Saturn Facebook page. Look toward Saturn and send us pictures of yourselves waving. (You can even post them to the gang, so dedicated Flickr page. To the tweeters available, use #WaveatSaturn.)

Unsure best places to look or things to wave at? Jane Houston Jones of NASA Jet Propulsion Lab created what she calls Finding Saturn Star Charts for Casablanca, Chicago and six other cities around the world, and he or she provides detailed instructions for what to do according to where you live.

There were already a couple of images of Earth in the outer solar system out of all time humankind continues to be venturing out into space, the release reads. The first and a lot distant was one was taken 23 years ago by NASA

Voyager 1 spacecraft from 4 billion miles (6 billion kilometers away), showing Earth being a pale blue dot. Another opportunity was a Cassini’s image in 2006 from 926 million miles (1.49 billion kilometers).