Spy Saturn at opposition: This Week in Astronomy with Dave Eicher

This month, Saturn will be at opposition with its rings tipped slightly toward us — though not as much as in this Hubble image from July 2020. Credit: NASA, ESA, A. Simon (Goddard Space Flight Center), M.H. Wong (University of California, Berkeley), and the OPAL Team

For many people, looking through a telescope for the first time at Saturn is a revelation. Through an eyepiece, the planet and its spectacular ring system can seem almost surreal — as if it were actually an artificial projected image and not a gas giant orbiting over 9 times farther from the Sun than Earth.

The best time of year to revel in those views of Saturn is approaching: On August 27th, Saturn will reach opposition, meaning it is directly opposite the Sun. It will glow at about magnitude 0.4 in the constellation Aquarius; the disk will subtend about 19″ and its rings about 43″. The rings will also be tilted slightly toward us by about 9°, giving us the opportunity to perhaps see the Cassini Division or the Encke Gap.