Saturn is at its ‘brightest best.’ When to see it in July’s night sky
If you’re stargazing this month, you might notice that Saturn is a little brighter than usual.
On July 9, Saturn will reach opposition, which means it will be “directly opposite to the sun from Earth’s perspective,” at its closest point to Earth and in full sunlight, according to National Geographic.
The planet — the second-largest in the solar system — will shine “at its brightest best in the Earth’s sky,” according to EarthSky.org.
Saturn’s rings won’t be visible to the naked eye, but if you peer at the planet using a telescope, “the rings will seem to surge in brightness,” due to the sunlight, National Geographic said.
If you’re looking for the ringed planet, it’ll be close to the southeast horizon, according to EarthSky. At opposition, the planet will rise as the sun sets, and will generally rise around that time for the rest of the month.
Just a few days later, on July 16 and 17, Saturn and the full moon will make a stunning pair in the sky, according to Space.com.
On the night of July 15, stargazers in the Southern Hemisphere may be able to see the moon cover Saturn — but you’d have to be “in just the right spot,” according to EarthSky.
The planet is at its brightest until July 22, according to Space.com.
This story was originally published July 8, 2019 at 4:45 AM.
