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Where Is Saturn in the Evening Sky?

Saturn is a popular astronomical object because of its bright rings. Like the other stars and planets, Saturn's position in the sky changes throughout the year. Knowing a bit about the ecliptic and the zodiac constellations will make it easier to find the ringed planet.
  1. The Ecliptic

    • There are certain imaginary lines used by astronomers to map the sky. One of these lines is the apparent path taken by the Sun as the Earth revolves around it. This is called the ecliptic. Because the other planets are on orbital planes not significantly different than Earth's, they are all within a few degrees of the ecliptic.

    The Zodiac

    • The ecliptic runs through the middle of the 12 zodiac constellations. Knowing which constellation each planet is currently in makes it easier to find them at different times during the year. Until 2011, Saturn will be located in Virgo.

    Rotation

    • The rotation of the Earth does not equal 24 hours. In fact, the Earth completes a single rotation in 23 hours and 56 minutes. Because of this, stars and planets rise and set four minutes earlier each evening. This means that stars and planets are visible at different locations throughout the year. In September, Saturn sets slightly after sunset, making it visible in the western evening sky. As the days pass, it will be slightly higher in the evening sky as it moves from the western to eastern skies. For example, in June, Saturn is visible in the southern evening sky and in the eastern evening sky in March.


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