If there is anything the planet is known for Saturn is its fascinating rings. The second largest planet, it has more than 100 moons, making it a sort of Solar System in itself.

It can be seen with the naked eye from Earth like a bright yellow point, but if you want to appreciate its spectacular rings you will have to use a telescope. We explain to you how to identify it easily in the night sky.

Saturn, the planet of the rings

Saturn is named after the Roman god of agriculture and harvestidentified with the Greek Cronus, lord of time and father of Zeus (Jupiter for the Romans). The fact that it is named after the god of time seems to be no coincidence, given that It is the planet that can be seen for the longest period of the year in the firmament.

The sixth planet from the Sun, located between Jupiter and Uranusit’s a gas giant composed mainly of hydrogen and helium, just like its neighbor Jupiter. This means that it does not have a solid surface like that of the Earth, although it is believed that it could have a solid core.

It is the second largest planet in the Solar Systemsecond only to Jupiter in both its diameter size and mass. In fact, its size is 84% ​​that of Jupiter in terms of diameter, although only 30% in terms of mass.

If something stands out about this great planet, it is, without a doubt, its rings, which are composed mainly of small ice particles. The width of the main rings is about 62,000 kilometers, but their thickness is only between 5 and 30 meters.

A microcosm in itself

Another of the most fascinating aspects of Saturn is its large number of Moons, the largest of all the planets. According to NASA, It has 146 moons: 53 of them confirmed and many others pending confirmation. Furthermore, although Saturn does not meet the conditions to support life as we know it, it is believed that some of its moons could have the conditions to support it.

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Saturn’s largest natural satellite is Titanthe second largest moon in the entire Solar System after Jupiter’s Ganymede. This moon, which is larger than the planet Mercury, is the only astronomical body (other than Earth) known to It has seas, lakes and rivers on its surfacebut they are made from liquid methane and ethane at extremely cold temperatures (around -179 °C).

Another curious fact is that while Saturn spins very fast on itself (a Saturnian day lasts only about 10.7 Earth hours), To go around the Sun (which would be one year) it takes 29 years and 5 months. terrestrial.

How to identify Saturn in the sky

Of all the planets that can be seen from Earth, Saturn is the furthest away. It can be seen with the naked eyelike a non-blinking yellowish-brown luminous spot (unlike stars).

To see its rings, however, it is necessary to use a telescope. The inclination of the rings varies from year to year and approximately every 15 years they are on their side and appear very thin from Earth, to the point that the rings can «disappear». This, which coincides with the Saturn equinox, will occur on May 6, 2025.

Saturn is usually seen in the night sky, in the plane of the ecliptic (the imaginary line along which the sun, moon, and planets move). It is usually close to Jupiter, which is the second brightest celestial body, only after Venus.

To find out if it is visible from your area and where to look for itthere are very useful online tools, such as Time and Date or the app Stellarium.

When to see the planet Saturn

Although Saturn is visible (at one time or another) most nightsthe best time to see it is when you are in oppositionthat is, when it is directly opposite the Sun, at which time it is visible throughout the night.

• Saturn’s opposition It occurs every 378 days and, according to the Time and Date platform, the next one occurred on September 21, 2025. We will have to wait until autumn 2026 for the next one.

On the contrary, when saturn is in solar conjunctionthat is, when it passes behind the Sun, disappears from sight completely for a few weeks.

• The last solar conjunction of saturn happened on March 12, 2025.