The Moon and Saturn will be quite close together throughout the night on the 30th of August. Those who stay up and check regularly will be rewarded, as the Moon gets closer and closer to Saturn, making its closest approach at in the early hours just before sunrise on the 31st. For those looking for the best views of Saturn, head out just a few nights earlier. Saturn enters opposition on the 27th of August, meaning it is at its biggest and brightest at midnight on the 27th!
Use the Quasar Publishing image above as a guide. To find out more about what to see in the night sky, grab a copy of their latest Astronomy Australia almanac at at Quasar Publishing.
When to look: All night on the 30th for the close approach, and all night on the 27th for Saturn at opposition.
Which direction to look: The eastern horizon in the early evening, through to the western horizon by sunrise.
Something Interesting
Due to Saturn’s enormous volume and relatively low mass, it is actually less dense than water! This means that Saturn could float in a bathtub (provided you can find one large enough).