Your guide to the night sky features the planet Saturn tonight. From our standpoint here on Earth, Saturn is in ‘opposition.’ That means the Sun and Saturn are opposite in our skyline.
Why is this important? Well, if you admire looking up at the night sky then you’ll get some good views the next several weeks. Since Earth is between the Sun and Saturn right now, Saturn will rise above the east horizon at sunset. Saturn will ‘set’ in the western sky as the sun is coming up to the east in the morning.
You’ll easily be able to spot the planet Saturn with just your eyesight but in order to see the planet’s famous rings, you’ll need a telescope. Now is a good time to find your local science center and see if they’re hosting any viewing events.
Saturn passed through ‘opposition’ around 17:00 UTC on Tuesday. That translated to 1 p.m. Eastern and 10 a.m. Pacific Tuesday. If you have a cloudy night tonight, don’t fret! Saturn will be bright and visible to the naked eye through the remainder of July and August. Look to the constellation Sagittarius where Saturn will be brightly shining the next several nights.
If you happen to have the right tools to capture a picture of the planet, we’d love to see it! Share it with us on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
For WeatherNation, Meteorologist Steve Glazier