Looking south during a summer nighttime is always a treat where the sky is concerned and this week there is a bonus.
Saturn is almost due south at midnight, meaning it is at its closest point to the Earth all year. It is nestled in the eastern corner of Sagittarius, the archer, just above and behind the Teapot asterism, which constitutes the body of Sagittarius.
The closest approach of an outer planet to Earth is known as opposition because the planet is in the opposite part of the sky to the sun. In fact, at opposition the sun, Earth and Saturn are all in line with each other, with our planet in the middle. This happens when the speedier Earth laps Saturn.
The chart shows the view at 12.30am BST on 10 July 2019. Saturn will appear as an ochre “star” of medium brightness. One more bonus to look out for is Jupiter. It will be at the same altitude as Saturn but further west.
