Saturn to glow brighter than usual this weekend as it reaches opposition
The ringed planet will be at its closest point to Earth this weekend, glowing brightly all night long. A telescope will reveal Saturn’s majestic rings and even its largest moon, Titan.
Saturn will appear at its brightest when it reaches opposition on the night of Sept. 21. The planet is famous for its dazzling ring system and is the second largest planet in our solar system.
This weekend will be the best opportunity of the year to spot Saturn as the ringed planet reaches opposition.
Opposition occurs when a planet lines up almost directly opposite the sun from Earth’s perspective. That alignment places Saturn at its closest point to Earth for the year, making it appear brighter than usual. It also means the planet will be visible all night, rising around sunset and setting around sunrise.
While opposition itself is a one-night event, taking place on Sept. 21, Saturn’s glow won’t fade quickly. The planet will continue to shine brightly for weeks, so any clear evening through the end of the month will be a good time to look.
This image of Saturn was taken on 22 January 2006 using a webcam attached to a 14-inch Shmidt-Cassegrain telescope. Photograph by Jamie Cooper. (Photo by SSPL/Getty Images)
Saturn will be easy to see with the naked eye, appearing in the southeastern sky after dark and slowly shifting to the southwest as the night progresses. But the view will be even better through a telescope, which can reveal Saturn’s signature rings, along with its largest moon, Titan.
The Saturn opposition will be the last astronomy event of summer, with the seasons changing with the equinox on Sept. 22.
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