Prepare to witness a celestial spectacle! On the night of August 20-21, the blue supermoon will pass in front of Saturn, an event known as an occultation. While both objects will be low in the sky when the occultation begins, they’ll be easily visible as the event progresses. Following Saturn’s emergence from behind the moon, the ringed planet will remain close to the moon throughout the night.
How to Watch
To truly appreciate this celestial event, you’ll need more than just the naked eye. Saturn will be indistinguishable from a bright star without the aid of a good backyard telescope or binoculars. A pair of high-powered binoculars or a telescope will allow you to see Saturn’s iconic rings and its moons. If you use a telescope, you can even observe the bands of clouds on Saturn’s surface.
When to Watch
On August 20, Saturn and the moon will rise in the southeastern part of the sky and set in the southwestern part. Saturn will be located in the constellation Aquarius, but due to its proximity to the moon, you won’t need to use Aquarius as a reference point.
The moon and Saturn will rise around 9 p.m. local time on August 20, setting around 8 a.m. local time on August 21. They’ll reach their highest point in the sky between approximately 2 and 3 a.m., attaining a height of roughly 42 degrees above the horizon, according to theskylive.com. The moon will pass in front of Saturn around 8:44 p.m. local time. The exact timing of the occultation may vary slightly depending on your location, potentially occurring just before or after the two objects cross the horizon.
If you miss the initial occultation, you might be able to see Saturn emerge from behind the moon around 12:38 a.m. local time, when the moon is at its highest point. Apps like Stellarium can provide precise timings for your specific location.
Observing Conditions
While a full moon usually washes out other celestial objects, Saturn’s brightness will make it easily visible despite the lunar illumination. The occultation may not be visible to all observers, as the apparent position of celestial objects can vary by up to two degrees depending on your location on Earth (this is called parallax). Even if you miss the actual occultation, you’ll still be able to enjoy the close proximity of Saturn to the moon throughout the night.
Don’t miss this unique opportunity to witness the blue supermoon occulting Saturn. Gather your binoculars or telescope and prepare for a memorable celestial spectacle.
