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Skywatch: Saturn reaches a milestone this week

Finding the ringed planet will be easier as a result.

As we start the week the innermost planet in the solar system will reach something known as superior conjunction. 

This is when the sun will be between Earth and Mercury. Because Mercury will be so close to our parent star we won’t be able to see this.  

But this is the planet that is actually transitioning to the evening sky and will be visible in it late in the month.

Saturn reaches a milestone early in the week as well. Early Monday morning at around 2 a.m. Saturn will reach something known as opposition meaning it’ll be opposite the Sun in the sky as observed from Earth.

As a result, it’ll appear bigger and brighter, therefore, making it easier to find in the night sky. Look in the southeastern sky late in the evening for the best show. Jupiter won’t be far off so be sure to look for that.

Our sky will darken throughout the week which means meteor watchers could get a treat. The Perseid meteor shower won’t peak until next week but it’s active from mid-July through late August. 

The shower’s radiant is in the northeastern sky in the early morning hours but the meteors have been known to shoot across the sky so you don’t necessarily have to look in one spot to see a shooting star. 

Don’t forget to make a wish. Happy hunting!

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