There is a one-in-a-year chance to view Saturn shining brightly in the sky. According to astronomy website EarthSky, Saturn will be in opposition, giving a chance for those living on Earth to view the ringed planet.
The event will occur between August 1 and 2.
The opposition is an astronomical phenomenon when the Earth forms a straight line with the Sun and Saturn, giving a rare chance to view the normally reclusive planet.
Where will Saturn be visible?
According to EarthSky, Saturn’s opposition will start from August 1 and will be at its peak at 2am Eastern Time (ET) on August 2. That is 11.30am Indian Standard Time or IST.
When the Sun sets that day, Venus will sink below the western horizon leaving Jupiter as the brightest object in the sky, according to EarthSky. And Saturn will be located west of Jupiter.
Will it be visible from naked eye?
Yes, according to EarthSky. But those who want to view the famous rings of the Saturn like an avid stargazer, will need a telescope.
Saturn stands out among the planets in our solar system because its magnetic field appears to be almost perfectly symmetrical around the rotation axis. It is the sixth and second largest planet from the Sun, according to American space agency Nasa.
Like fellow gas giant Jupiter, Saturn is a massive ball made mostly of hydrogen and helium. Nine Earths are needed side by side to almost span Saturn’s diametre – and that’s without the rings – according to Nasa.
What if someone misses watching Saturn on these days?
According to EarthSky, Saturn will stay in that position for the rest of the month, but this is a chance to catch a glimpse of the planet when it is really close to Earth.
Saturn lies in the direction of the constellation Capricornus and can be found there for the rest of 2021, according to EarthSky.
Saturn is one of the four outer planets, based on the distance from the Sun. These are separated by the inner planets – Mercury, Venus, Earth and Mars – by a belt of asteroids. The other three outer planets are Jupiter, Uranus and Neptune.
The region beyond outer planets is largely unknown. However, it is not a complete vacuum. The stew of matter and radiation present in low densities – mostly gas – is called the interstellar medium. About 15% of the visible matter in our Milky Way galaxy is composed of this interstellar gas, dust and energetic particles like cosmic rays.
Much of the interstellar medium is in what is called an ionized, or electrically charged, state called plasma.