Saturn eclipses the Sun in this composite made with a series of images taken by the Cassini spacecraft in 2006.
NASA/JPL-Caltech/STScI
Saturn remains a tempting target in the early evening sky tonight.
The ringed planet stands about 20° above the southwestern horizon an hour after sunset and remains on view until 9 p.m. local daylight time.
Shining at magnitude 0.6, Saturn appears more than a full magnitude brighter than any of the background stars in its host constellation, Sagittarius.
Of course, the best views of Saturn come through a telescope, which reveals a 16″-diameter globe surrounded by a spectacular ring system that spans 36″ and tilts 26° to our line of sight.
For more quick observing tips and highlights, check out our weekly guide: The sky this week.
