Saturn at its brightest
A relatively close approach allows Saturn to show off its amazing features
When: 14 August 2022
Equipment to use: Identifiable by eye from its golden colour. Telescopes will bring out detail, anything from a small refractor (70–80mm diameter) to a long-focal length reflector. Use planetary cameras for imaging.
One of the most interesting planets to observe, Saturn reaches opposition in August, when it appears large and bright. Opposition occurs when Earth lies directly between the Sun and a planet – indeed, the Moon is at opposition whenever it’s at full phase. It’s because of this full illumination that it is so well presented. Saturn reaches opposition roughly every year, and on this occasion it’ll be 8.86 AU (1.32 billion km) from Earth; that’s 320 million km closer than the farthest it will be in 2022, 11 AU (1.64 billion km).
Saturn’s opposition will allow observers a clear view of its northern hemisphere and ring structure. If atmospheric seeing allows and you have the equipment to achieve high magnifications, expect to see structure in the rings (such as the Cassini Division) and colouring or bands on the surface.
The great thing about Saturn, especially at times of opposition, is that even a smaller refractor in the region of 80mm will bring its rings and some level of detail into view with low-magnification eyepieces. Binoculars won’t, however; they’ll allow you to appreciate the colour, but not the detail.
Because Saturn will be illuminated, its icy rings will brighten significantly – an occurence known as the Seeliger effect. This is a phenomenon that can be appreciated by both imagers and observers.
Get prepared
Saturn will be visible all night on 14 August, starting at twilight in the southeast. But it’s best viewed or imaged around midnight, when it culminates at an altitude of around 20˚ in the south. Opposition gives astronomers the perfect opportunity to observe and image delicate details, however Saturn is heavily influenced by atmospheric conditions. If the seeing is poor, use lower magnification eyepieces to avoid unwanted distortion. We recommend starting with a 25–30mm eyepiece to locate it, and then stepping up eyepiece magnification until you struggle to focus or obtain a clean image.
Smaller refractors will allow you to see the rings and some level of detail at opposition using mediumto high-powered eyepieces. Some of Saturn’s brighter moons should also be visible, including Enceladus. Binoculars will resolve the shape, however the rings will not be discernible from Saturn’s disc, and could appear as ‘ears’ instead.
If you live in a light-polluted area, don’t worry. Planets are bright and still give a pleasing view, although you will lose a nice dark background for contrast, and views of the moons.