The best time to see Saturn is almost here. On September 21st, the reverberating planet reaches the opposite. In other words, the Earth is placed directly between Saturn and the Sun. (In other words, it is on the other side of the Earth, like the Sun.) At that moment, the Sun, Earth, and Saturn form a straight line.
During the opposite period, Saturn will appear to be at the closest point to Earth, and therefore its biggest and brightest. Like the full moon, Saturn appears to be fully illuminated by the sun’s rays due to its position compared to the sun. This event occurs once every 378 days, so you can’t miss this opportunity.
When Saturn reaches the opposite, the viewing conditions are ideal. On September 21st, the moon will be in a new phase, so the moonlight will not be threatened by washing away objects in the night sky. Also, since Saturn is directly opposite the Sun, according to Earth’s sky, it can be seen all night long, rising east around sunset and heading west around dawn local time.
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To further improve these viewing conditions, we observe Saturn from a source of artificial light that can wash away objects in the night sky and make the Skywatch more difficult. Also, before starting observation, you should allow 15-30 minutes for your eyes to adapt to the darkness. If you need to use a flashlight, choose a red light instead of white light to maintain your night vision.
Saturn appears at the bottom of Pisces, the constellation. The planet that rings is very bright and can be easily spotted in the night sky. However, if you need help finding Saturn, you can use a skywatching app such as Stellarium.
The best way to see Saturn is through a skywatching binocular or a backyard telescope. Through the sky-watching equipment, you can observe the spectacular dramatic brightening ring of Saturn known as the Seeliger effect.
Related: “Crescent Sunrise” The solar eclipse is coming this weekend. Here’s where you can see it.
According to Astronomy Magazine, Saturn’s direct sunlight reflects off the ring and eliminates shadows between the countless particles that make up Saturn’s ring, making the ring look much brighter than usual. The Seeliger effect lasts for several days when Saturn reaches the opposite.
The exact moment of the opposition will be central to the 21st September, but it will take several weeks to approach the other side of the sky from the sun and leave its position. Therefore, even if you cannot see Saturn on the 21st, you still have time to see the planet that rang that day, two days ago and two days ago.
Saturn happens to reach the opposite this year on the same day when partial solar eclipses will be visible from Antarctica, Australia and parts of New Zealand. The next day, September 22nd, marks the autumn equinox of the Northern Hemisphere.
