Watch Saturn Snuggle Up With the Moon Tonight

On Tuesday evening (May 13), as the moon, just one night from full phase rises in the east-southeast sky it will be accompanied by a very bright yellowish-white "star" shining off to its lower left. That "star" will be the planet Saturn.

Saturn is currently shining bright in the night sky, just a few days after reaching opposition — its best display for stargazers — on Saturday (May 10). The planet shines at brilliant magnitude of zero on the brightness scale, making it virtually equal to the bright star Arcturus visible high above Saturn.

There is a distinct difference between Saturn and Arcturus though. While both are roughly of the same brightness (Saturn is just a trifle fainter) Arcturus twinkles and glimmers with an orange hue compared to Saturn which shines with a steady and sedate yellowish-white color.

So despite its relative close proximity to the moon, Saturn will still manage to stand-out quite well. And what will be especially interesting will be to watch how the moon seems to approach Saturn during the course of the overnight hours.

At dusk on Tuesday, Saturn will appear about 5.5 degrees to the lower left of the moon. (Your closed fist held out at arm's length covers about 10 degrees of the night sky). The moon will move toward Saturn at its own apparent width (one-half degree) per hour during the night.

So by dawn on Wednesday (May 14), the Saturn and the moon will be low in the west-southwest, the moon having moved to within 2.5 degrees to the lower right of the ringed planet. More interestingly, from the southern half of Australia, New Zealand and Victoria Land (Antarctica), the moon will occult (hide) Saturn on Wednesday evening.

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