Planets TonightSaturn in 1996: brightness, position and events
Brightest+0.5around Oct 1
Closest (in table)8.500 au1272 million km
Farthest10.549 au
Events this year2
Brightest last year+0.6
Events this year
| Date (JST) | Event | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-03-18 04:03 | Conjunction with the Sun | +1.0 | 10.550 | Pisces | 2.0° |
| 1996-09-27 04:10 | Opposition | +0.5 | 8.498 | Pisces | 177.4° |
Magnitude through the year (lower = brighter)
Twice-monthly position and visibility
| Date | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. | Visibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 | +1.1 | 9.878 | Aquarius | 70° E | Evening sky |
| Jan 15 | +1.1 | 10.085 | Aquarius | 56° E | Evening sky |
| Feb 1 | +1.1 | 10.295 | Aquarius | 41° E | Evening sky |
| Feb 15 | +1.1 | 10.425 | Aquarius | 28° E | Evening sky |
| Mar 1 | +1.1 | 10.515 | Aquarius | 15° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Mar 15 | +1.1 | 10.549 | Pisces | 3° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Apr 1 | +1.1 | 10.524 | Pisces | 13° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Apr 15 | +1.1 | 10.450 | Pisces | 25° W | Morning sky |
| May 1 | +1.0 | 10.312 | Pisces | 38° W | Morning sky |
| May 15 | +1.0 | 10.150 | Pisces | 50° W | Morning sky |
| Jun 1 | +1.0 | 9.911 | Pisces | 65° W | Morning sky |
| Jun 15 | +0.9 | 9.691 | Cetus | 78° W | Morning sky |
| Jul 1 | +0.9 | 9.427 | Cetus | 92° W | Morning sky |
| Jul 15 | +0.8 | 9.198 | Cetus | 106° W | Morning sky |
| Aug 1 | +0.7 | 8.941 | Cetus | 122° W | Morning sky |
| Aug 15 | +0.6 | 8.760 | Cetus | 136° W | Morning sky |
| Sep 1 | +0.6 | 8.596 | Pisces | 153° W | Most of the night |
| Sep 15 | +0.5 | 8.518 | Pisces | 167° W | Most of the night |
| Oct 1 | +0.5 | 8.500 | Pisces | 175° E | Most of the night |
| Oct 15 | +0.6 | 8.549 | Pisces | 160° E | Most of the night |
| Nov 1 | +0.6 | 8.683 | Pisces | 142° E | Evening sky |
| Nov 15 | +0.7 | 8.846 | Pisces | 128° E | Evening sky |
| Dec 1 | +0.8 | 9.076 | Pisces | 111° E | Evening sky |
| Dec 15 | +0.8 | 9.300 | Pisces | 97° E | Evening sky |
Computed with the JPL DE421 ephemeris and Skyfield (times in JST). Magnitude and distance are for 12:00 JST on each date. Visibility is a rough guide for mid-northern latitudes such as Japan.
About this page
Saturn is brightest around October 1996 (magnitude +0.5); 2 conjunctions, oppositions or elongations occur this year.