Saturn’s big sky is about to begin, which will allow it to show its glorious rings with the best bow of 2021 tonight: from 8am today, in fact, the giant planet has reached resistance, the point closest to Earth and directly opposite the sun, which ensures better visibility. This year it presents itself at the junction with the northern hemisphere, which leans towards the earth, with an angle that allows the sun’s rays to illuminate its ice rings with artistry. As astronomer Gianluca Masi, scientific director of the Virtual Telescope Project, explained, the show will be visible throughout the night and will continue for the next few days. “Considering Saturn’s recession, vision will be good for several weeks,” the expert notes. “August would be perfect to admire even with the naked eye: during this period the planet stands alone in the sky because it is relatively isolated against the dim background of Capricorn stars, and in the east we see a very bright Jupiter”. “A good pair of telescopes is enough to see Saturn’s rings, but to appreciate them well, it’s better to use a telescope with the planet’s bright satellites, even smaller ones,” says Masi. Fans can try their hand at targeting their lenses in the evening southeast, south at midnight and southwest before dawn. “The only problem is the southern location, which is visible in the southern part of the sky: it – the astronomer explains – that the atmospheric turbulence will not allow the eyes of those interested in the northern hemisphere (including the Italians) to appreciate the planet is in excellent condition.”
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