Spy Saturn at opposition: This Week in Astronomy with Dave Eicher

This month, Saturn can be at opposition with its rings tipped barely towards us — although not as a lot as on this Hubble picture from July 2020. Credit score: NASA, ESA, A. Simon (Goddard Area Flight Heart), M.H. Wong (College of California, Berkeley), and the OPAL Staff

For many individuals, trying via a telescope for the primary time at Saturn is a revelation. By an eyepiece, the planet and its spectacular ring system can appear virtually surreal — as if it had been truly a man-made projected picture and never a gas giant orbiting over 9 occasions farther from the Solar than Earth.

The perfect time of 12 months to enjoy these views of Saturn is approaching: On August twenty seventh, Saturn will attain opposition, which means it’s straight reverse the Solar. It can glow at about magnitude 0.4 within the constellation Aquarius; the disk will subtend about 19″ and its rings about 43″. The rings may even be tilted barely towards us by about 9°, giving us the chance to maybe see the Cassini Division or the Encke Hole.