Planets TonightSaturn in 2012: brightness, position and events
Brightest+0.2around Apr 15
Closest (in table)8.720 au1305 million km
Farthest10.762 au
Events this year2
Brightest last year+0.4
Events this year
| Date (JST) | Event | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2012-04-16 03:26 | Opposition | +0.2 | 8.720 | Virgo | 177.2° |
| 2012-10-25 17:32 | Conjunction with the Sun | +0.6 | 10.768 | Virgo | 2.2° |
Magnitude through the year (lower = brighter)
Twice-monthly position and visibility
| Date | Mag | Dist (au) | Constellation | Elong. | Visibility |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jan 1 | +0.7 | 9.954 | Virgo | 72° W | Morning sky |
| Jan 15 | +0.7 | 9.727 | Virgo | 85° W | Morning sky |
| Feb 1 | +0.6 | 9.445 | Virgo | 102° W | Morning sky |
| Feb 15 | +0.5 | 9.226 | Virgo | 116° W | Morning sky |
| Mar 1 | +0.5 | 9.020 | Virgo | 132° W | Morning sky |
| Mar 15 | +0.4 | 8.869 | Virgo | 146° W | Morning sky |
| Apr 1 | +0.3 | 8.752 | Virgo | 164° W | Most of the night |
| Apr 15 | +0.2 | 8.720 | Virgo | 177° W | Most of the night |
| May 1 | +0.3 | 8.755 | Virgo | 164° E | Most of the night |
| May 15 | +0.4 | 8.847 | Virgo | 149° E | Evening sky |
| Jun 1 | +0.5 | 9.025 | Virgo | 132° E | Evening sky |
| Jun 15 | +0.6 | 9.215 | Virgo | 118° E | Evening sky |
| Jul 1 | +0.6 | 9.463 | Virgo | 103° E | Evening sky |
| Jul 15 | +0.7 | 9.693 | Virgo | 90° E | Evening sky |
| Aug 1 | +0.7 | 9.972 | Virgo | 75° E | Evening sky |
| Aug 15 | +0.8 | 10.188 | Virgo | 62° E | Evening sky |
| Sep 1 | +0.8 | 10.417 | Virgo | 47° E | Evening sky |
| Sep 15 | +0.8 | 10.570 | Virgo | 35° E | Evening sky |
| Oct 1 | +0.7 | 10.695 | Virgo | 21° E | Evening sky |
| Oct 15 | +0.7 | 10.755 | Virgo | 9° E | Too close to the Sun |
| Nov 1 | +0.7 | 10.762 | Virgo | 6° W | Too close to the Sun |
| Nov 15 | +0.7 | 10.713 | Virgo | 18° W | Morning sky |
| Dec 1 | +0.7 | 10.599 | Virgo | 33° W | Morning sky |
| Dec 15 | +0.7 | 10.452 | Libra | 46° W | Morning 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 April 2012 (magnitude +0.2); 2 conjunctions, oppositions or elongations occur this year.