Saturn and the Full Moon rise together tonight in the eastern sky. The two are in the zodiacal constellation Capricornus. Saturn is the brightest object nearest the moon.

The ringed-planet Saturn is now visible a short time after sunset, rising in the eastern sky. The planet reaches opposition on Sunday, which puts it closer to the Earth than at any other time in the year.

In the case of Saturn, opposition is more about convenience than distance. Saturn is about 823 million miles away and while it is near, its closeness doesn’t give viewers much of an improved view. It just means that from now into the rest of the year, Saturn is an evening planet.

We haven’t had an evening planet to see for many months.

Stay tuned. Jupiter is following behind and will join the evening sky in the fall.