The Moon makes a close approach to the gas giant Saturn on 12th August. Saturn rises at 8.52pm, followed closely by the Moon at 8.59pm.
Use the above image as a guide. Astronomical images provided by SkySafari, a Simulation Curriculum Company, All rights reserved www.simulationcurriculum.com.
When and where to look:
After the sun sets, look for the Moon rising above the eastern horizon just before 9pm. Saturn is above and looks like a bright star.
Something Interesting
Saturn’s moon Enceladus is small and icy, but NASA’s Cassini probe found the moon has a subsurface ocean of liquid salty water, and its plumes of water vapour and ice particles spray into space. Astronomers consider Enceladus a promising candidate for life beyond Earth.
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There’s always something interesting happening in the night sky and country WA is the best place to catch all the action