Saturn will glow brightly in the sky this week. Here's how to see it

ByMegan Marples and Ashley Strickland, CNN, CNNWire
Sunday, August 1, 2021
Perseid meteor shower headlines busy month for astronomy
Perseid meteor shower headlines busy month for astronomyAugust boasts several big astronomical happenings, including the best meteor shower of the entire year: the Perseids.

See Saturn shine brightly for this once-a-year nighttime spectacle.

On August 1 and 2, Saturn will be at opposition, meaning the Earth will be located between the ringed planet and the sun. This is when the outer planet will be at its most luminous, making for a brilliant night sky view.

Saturn's opposition is at 2 a.m. ET on August 2, or 11 p.m. PT for those on the West Coast, according to EarthSky.

Once Venus sinks below the horizon after the sun sets, Jupiter will be the brightest object in the sky, EarthSky said. To find Saturn, look just west of Jupiter.

SEE ALSO: Perseid meteor shower headlines busy month for astronomy

If you're hoping to catch a glimpse of Saturn's famous rings, you'll need to whip out a telescope, according to the Farmer's Almanac.

"Sunday night into Monday morning much of the Midwest and portions of western California will see mostly clear skies," CNN meteorologist Haley Brink said. "A swath of cloudy skies will exist across the Northwest into the Rockies, across many southern states and into the Northeast."

Don't worry if your town has cloudy weather at the beginning of August because Saturn will remain bright in the sky for the rest of the month, EarthSky said.

Saturn is the sixth planet from the sun, and it would take nine Earths to span the diameter of the gaseous planet, according to NASA -- and that's not including the rings.

The-CNN-Wire & © 2021 Cable News Network, Inc., a WarnerMedia Company. All rights reserved.