Saturn Will Be Visible In Michigan This Weekend: How To See It

It has been a wild year for space-related events. Not only did a total solar eclipse happen that covered much of the Midwest in temporary darkness, but the Northern Lights were also visible way down south here in Grand Rapids. All gorgeous and rare events that left Michiganders speechless.

Now, it's time to return to normality amongst the stars. This weekend marks the one time a year when you can see Saturn, the second largest planet in our solar system, with your bare eyes. Here's where to look.

Saturn, The Lord of The Rings

Humans have known about Saturn since ancient times, but only in recent history have people been able to understand Saturn in all its glory. Usually, you'd need a fancy telescope in something like an observatory.

But once a year, Earth reaches a point in its orbit around the Sun that is between both Saturn and the Sun, making it visible here despite being hundreds of millions of miles away.

This weekend, the night of September 7 into September 8th will be the optimal viewing time. While you can technically see the planet without any equipment, it will look similar to most other stars you normally see. A telescope or powerful binoculars will allow you to see Saturn and its ring comfortably. The best time to look will be 12:27 a.m. 

You'll want to head somewhere with little light pollution. You can find such places using Dark Site Finders like this one. If you miss the chance to see it at that time, Saturn will still be fairly visible most of this week and next, just not at the peak like this weekend.