BackSaturn to shine bright on Aug 1-2; how to watch ringed-planet line up with Earth
Saturn is located on the west of Jupiter. The ringed-planet lies in the direction of the constellation Capricornus and can be found there for the rest of 2021
PremiumSaturn will shine more brightly on August 1 and August 2 when it will be at opposition. It means the Earth will be located between the ringed planet and the sun. Under this phenomenon, the outer planet becomes more luminous, making it a brighter night sky view.
According to earthsky.org, the planets that orbit the sun inside Earth’s orbit – Mercury and Venus – can never be in opposition. Only the planets that orbit the sun beyond Earth’s orbit – Mars, Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and the dwarf planet Pluto – can ever reach opposition, that is, appear opposite the sun in Earth’s sky.
Saturn's opposition would be at 2 a.m. ET (Around 11 am IST) on August 2. Once Venus sinks below the horizon after the sun sets, Jupiter will be the brightest object in the sky.
Saturn is located on the west of Jupiter. The ringed-planet lies in the direction of the constellation Capricornus and can be found there for the rest of 2021. One can also use stargazing app to find the exact location of Saturn.
At present, Saturn lies about 10 times the Earth’s distance from the sun. Astronomers refer to one Earth-sun distance as an astronomical unit (AU). Saturn is now about 10 AU from the sun and nearly 9 AU from Earth
Unlock a world of Benefits! From insightful newsletters to real-time stock tracking, breaking news and a personalized newsfeed – it's all here, just a click away! Login Now!
