The very best time to see Saturn is quickly approaching!

The very best view of the ringed world takes place when it gets in opposition– to put it simply, when the Earth is straight in between Saturn and the sun. This year, that’s over night in between Sept. 7 and Sept. 8.

You do not wish to miss this once-a-year chance to see Saturn at its most significant and brightest; after Sept. 8, 2024, you will not have the ability to see Saturn in opposition up until Sept. 21, 2025. Here’s whatever you require to understand to identify Saturn at its peak size and brightness.

How to see Saturn

Seeing Saturn with the naked eye isn’t ideal since you will not have the ability to see its sensational rings. (Without equipment, the world appears like an extremely brilliant star). The very best method to see Saturn is to utilize a yard telescopeor a strong set of stargazing field glassesso you can see Saturn’s rings in sharp relief.

Due to the fact that Saturn is nearing opposition, it will remain in the opposite part of the sky as the setting Sun. On Sept. 7 and 8, Saturn will appear in the constellation Aquarius. You can utilize sky charts that are upgraded day-to-day to see Saturn’s existing position relative to Aquarius, or if you ‘d like a bit more hands-on assist with discovering the ringed world, you can utilize apps like Stellarium to quickly find Saturn or other celestial things.

Related: The very best meteor showers of 2024 are yet to come. Here are the crucial nights to expect.

When to see Saturn

Saturn will increase in between around 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. regional time on Sept. 7 and will set in between roughly 5:30 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. regional time on Sept. 8. Saturn will reach its acme in the sky around midnight regional time on Sept. 8. (You can utilize this tool from the U.S. Navy to examine accurate increase and set times in your precise place).

Saturn will reach opposition when Saturn and the sun are placed straight opposite of each other in the sky; this will occur at 12:27 a.m. EDT on Sept. 8. When Saturn reaches opposition, it will appear bigger since it will be at its closest indicate Earth.

n the night of Sept. 7-8, the moon will be a waxing crescent (18% completeand will set around 10 p.m. regional time, producing ideal observing conditions.

If you do not get the opportunity to observe the night sky on Sept. 7-8, do not stress! Saturn will still appear larger and brighter than normal in the week approximately in the past and after it reaches oppositionso there’s lots of time to see Saturn’s rings in all their splendor. From the start of September to Sept. 13, the moon will set before midnightwhich suggests that you’ll have adequate chance to see Saturn at or near opposition with moonlight-free skies.

The Seeliger Effect

When you observe Saturn as it nears opposition, you’ll have the ability to see the Seeliger Effectwhich is an uncommon lightening up of Saturn and its rings. This result takes place since of the position of Saturn relative to the sun and our position on the Earth: the sun casts its rays from behind Earth straight onto Saturn, straight brightening Saturn and its rings, which is why Saturn is at its brightest when it’s in opposition.

Gretchen Rundorff is an astronomy lover who is enthusiastic about science interaction and empowering individuals to discover the night sky. She has actually seen numerous meteor showers, has actually seen a partial solar eclipse in 2016, has actually photographed the 2024 overall solar eclipse, and has actually utilized telescopes to see worlds and star clusters. Gretchen holds a bachelor’s degree in viewpoint and French from the University of Pittsburgh, and a graduate-level certificate in copyediting from the University of California San Diego.