Saturn at opposition

Saturday 10th May 201417:15

Saturn will be well placed for observation, lying in the constellation Libra, far above the horizon for much of the night.

Regardless of your location on the Earth, Saturn will reach its highest point in the sky at around midnight local time.

This optimal positioning occurs when Saturn makes its closest approach to the point directly opposite to the Sun in the sky – an event termed opposition, the exact moment of which will be 19:15 BST. Since the Sun reaches its greatest distance below the horizon at midnight, the point opposite to it is highest in the sky at the same time.