Tonight, planet Saturn can be seen being closest to Earth

July will be a great month to view the rings of Saturn. You can see them in any telescope that magnifies to at least 20 power, but the larger the aperture and the sharper the image, the more detail you can make out.

Tonight Saturn will be experiencing opposition, AccuWeather.com reported. Opposition is the position in Saturn’s orbit when it is closest to our planet, making it easily visible in the night sky.

This is also when the planet’s apparent size is greatest and it puts on an all-night performance with greatest gleam, shining at magnitude +0.1.

Compared to the 21 brightest stars, Saturn would rank seventh, just a shade dimmer than similarly hued Capella in Auriga, the charioteer, and a trifle brighter than blue-white Rigel in Orion, the hunter.

Here are two ways to make a positive identification of Saturn: First find Jupiter. You can’t miss it, shining like a brilliant silver “star” in the southern sky. Then, make a clenched fist and hold it out at arm’s length. Now, measure off three fists to Jupiter’s left, and the brightest starlike object that you find will be Saturn.

Via TgCom / Space.Com / Accu Weather / Geek