Shining at magnitude +0.2 among the stars of Aquarius, Saturn reaches around 30\u00b0 altitude when due south, which is much better than it has managed over recent years.<\/p>
This lifts it above a lot of the low-altitude turbulence that has ruined the UK\u2019s view for a number of years.<\/p>
Get weekly stargazing advice by signing up to receive the BBC Sky at Night Magazine e-newsletter<\/a> and listening to our weekly Star Diary podcast<\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p> Having said this, Saturn\u2019s rings<\/a> are currently only tilted to our line of sight by 3.7\u00b0, which makes them appear extremely thin and somewhat less impressive than when they are presented at a wider tilt angle.<\/p> At this value, detail such as the dark Cassini division is hard to see, most likely to be glimpsed by larger instruments towards the extremities of the rings. \u00a0<\/p> In the days running up to opposition, the rings appear to brighten in what\u2019s known as the Seeliger or opposition effect, dimming again in the days that follow.<\/p> The effect is caused by the myriad ring particles lining up with their shadows, effectively hiding them.<\/p> A bright, virtually full Moon sits 5.2\u00b0 southwest of Saturn in the early hours of 17 September (the Moon also technically being at opposition when it\u2019s full in our sky).<\/p> Around opposition, Saturn remains visible all night long.<\/p> As we are now on the latter side of the June solstice, from the Northern Hemisphere, the lengthening nights will help to keep Saturn centre-stage for many weeks to come.<\/p> As it climbs above the 30\u00b0 threshold from the UK, this is an exciting time to give the ringed planet plenty of attention.<\/p> For more advice, read our guide on how to observe Saturn with a telescope<\/a>.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>![\"Chart](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/48\/2024\/08\/saturn-opposition-2024.jpg\")
Saturn opposition key facts<\/strong><\/h2>