Saturn at Opposition - How This Will Affect Your Sign

Saturn is our solar system’s most glorious planet!

But, to the eye, Saturn isn’t as noticeable as bright Jupiter.

Now, as Saturn nears its opposition on August 1-2, 2021, Saturn and Jupiter are still close.

Earth’s faster motion in orbit brings Saturn to opposition once each year.

Opposition is a big yearly milestone for observing the ringed planet Saturn or any outer planet.

It happens when we on Earth fly between that planet and the sun.

In opposition, an outer planet is generally closest to Earth and brightest for that year.

Saturn’s opposition comes on August 2 at about 06:00 UTC.

1. Saturn in Evening Sky Rest of 2021

The ringed planet will be in good view in the evening sky for the rest of August and throughout September, October, November, and December 2021.

Saturn and Jupiter will stay rather close together on the sky’s dome throughout 2021.

They’ll remain fixtures of the evening sky for the rest of this year.

Now, Saturn lies about 10 times the Earth’s distance from the sun, and nine times the Earth-sun distance from Earth.

2. The Seeliger Effect

Generally, when we observe Saturn through a telescope before or after opposition, the rings appear about as bright as the planet’s globe.

For days around the time of opposition, however, the rings suddenly intensify in apparent brightness, outshining the globe before dimming back to their normal appearance.

Two major physical processes lead to the Seeliger effect: shadow hiding and coherent backscattering.

When we see Saturn directly illuminated by the Sun, the planet’s shadow hides behind the globe, placing more ring surfaces into view.

In opposition, and the days immediately surrounding it, we see the combination of these two mechanisms as a temporary surge in the overall illumination of the rings.

The only way to fully appreciate the effect visually, however, is to monitor the planet and its rings for the days near that magic moment — weather permitting.

3. How Will Saturn-Uranus Affect You?

If you have key planets in late mutable signs or early cardinal signs, then your love life will not be the same once this aspect has had its way with you.

The mutable signs are Gemini, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Pisces, and the key degree areas are pretty much the last fifteen degrees of these signs.

The cardinal signs are Aries, Cancer, Libra, and Capricorn, and the key degree areas are the first five degrees of these signs.

First look at Venus, as she traditionally governs love and relationships.

Mars relates to sexual desire. And the Sun and Moon can symbolize key people in our lives.

For example, the Sun may represent a woman’s husband; the Moon, a man’s wife.

Also, look at the planet ruling your Seventh House of Partnership.