July Is the Best Time to See Saturn and Its Rings This Year

Saturn is the second-biggest planet in our solar system, boasting 95 times the mass of Earth. Even though it's located hundreds of millions of miles away, Saturn is still clearly visible in the night sky during certain times of the year. As EarthSky reports, July is the best month to spot the gas giant, and if you're using a telescope, you may even see its rings and its largest moon.

On July 9, 2019, Saturn entered something called opposition with Earth. This occurs when our planet falls directly in line between Saturn and the Sun. When it's in opposition, Saturn is at its closest point to Earth in its orbit (about 746 million miles away). Due to its position in relation to our planet and the Sun, Saturn also appears especially clear and bright.

Just because opposition has passed doesn't mean your chance to spot Saturn from your backyard is over. The planet may no longer be at peak visibility, but during the weeks and even months surrounding opposition, Saturn will still be close to Earth and easily observable with the naked eye. Without any special tools, Saturn will appear as a bright golden star. If you're using a telescope, look for the planet's iconic rings. Titan, the largest of its 62 moons, may also be visible through a telescope.

To catch a prime view of Saturn, look up on a clear night any time from now through September 2019. At sunset, look above the southeastern sky for white-yellow star. Saturn will appear in the southern part of the sky in the middle of the night and disappear over the northwest horizon at sunrise. Saturn's opposition comes just one month after Jupiter's, which means the solar system's largest planet also looks particularly big and bright this time of year.

[h/t EarthSky]