Saturn at opposition: How to see the ringed planet at its biggest and brightest this week
Saturn will enter opposition on Sept. 7 and 8, orbiting on the opposite side of Earth as the sun. Here's everything you need to know to spot Saturn at its peak size and brightness this week.
The best time to view Saturn is rapidly approaching!
The best view of the ringed planet occurs when it enters opposition — in other words, when the Earth is directly between Saturn and the sun. This year, that's overnight between Sept. 7 and Sept. 8.
You do not want to miss this once-a-year opportunity to see Saturn at its biggest and brightest; after Sept. 8, 2024, you won't be able to see Saturn in opposition until Sept. 21, 2025. Here's everything you need to know to spot Saturn at its peak size and brightness.
How to view Saturn
Viewing Saturn with the naked eye isn't optimal because you won't be able to see its stunning rings. (Without gear, the planet looks like a very bright star). The best way to view Saturn is to use a backyard telescope, or a strong pair of stargazing binoculars, so you can see Saturn's rings in sharp relief.
Because Saturn is nearing opposition, it will be 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 use sky charts that are updated daily to see Saturn's current position relative to Aquarius, or if you'd like a little more hands-on help with finding the ringed planet, you can use apps like Stellarium to easily locate Saturn or other celestial objects.
Related: The best meteor showers of 2024 are yet to come. Here are the key nights to watch for.
When to see Saturn
Saturn will rise between approximately 6 p.m. and 7 p.m. local time on Sept. 7 and will set between approximately 5:30 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. local time on Sept. 8. Saturn will reach its highest point in the sky around midnight local time on Sept. 8. (You can use this tool from the U.S. Navy to check precise rise and set times in your exact location).
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Saturn will reach opposition when Saturn and the sun are positioned directly opposite of each other in the sky; this will happen at 12:27 a.m. EDT on Sept. 8. When Saturn reaches opposition, it will appear larger because it will be at its closest point to Earth.
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n the night of Sept. 7-8, the moon will be a waxing crescent (18% full) and will set around 10 p.m. local time, creating perfect observing conditions.
If you don't get the chance to observe the night sky on Sept. 7-8, don't worry! Saturn will still appear bigger and brighter than usual in the week or so before and after it reaches opposition, so there's plenty of time to see Saturn's rings in all their glory. From the beginning of September to Sept. 13, the moon will set before midnight, which means that you'll have ample opportunity to see Saturn at or near opposition with moonlight-free skies.
The Seeliger Effect
When you observe Saturn as it nears opposition, you'll be able to see the Seeliger Effect, which is an unusual brightening of Saturn and its rings. This effect happens because of the position of Saturn relative to the sun and our position on the Earth: the sun casts its rays from behind Earth directly onto Saturn, directly illuminating Saturn and its rings, which is why Saturn is at its brightest when it's in opposition.
Gretchen Rundorff is an astronomy enthusiast who is passionate about science communication and empowering people to learn about the night sky. She has seen multiple meteor showers, has seen a partial solar eclipse in 2016, has photographed the 2024 total solar eclipse, and has used telescopes to view planets and star clusters. Gretchen holds a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and French from the University of Pittsburgh, and a graduate-level certificate in copyediting from the University of California San Diego.