Saturn in full view and at full tilt

Saturn is at its best, enjoying its summer solstice and in opposition, though sadly low in Britain's sky

Saturn's northern hemisphere is now tilting at its maximum angle to the Sun, 26.75, as the beautiful ringed planet enjoys its own summer solstice. It is also nearing opposition on the 15th when it stands opposite the Sun in Earth's sky so that it rises at sunset, stands highest in the middle of the night and sets at sunrise.

Saturn's rings are best seen when the planet comes to opposition around the times of Earth's solstices, as it does every 15 years or so. This arises because the rings lie directly above Saturn's equator and its polar axis is aligned to within 6 of that of the Earth, much closer than for any other planet. We could say that we share the same north pole star, Polaris.