Saturn in opposition: Planet passes close to Earth on July 9

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Tuesday, July 9, 2019
How to spot Saturn's rings on Tuesday night
July 9 will be the best night to catch sight of Saturn. AccuWeather has what you need to know.

Saturn will be bright throughout July, but it will make for an especially good showing on Tuesday when it reaches opposition, according to AccuWeather.

Opposition occurs when Earth is completely lined up between the sun and another planet, forming a straight line. In this case, it's Saturn, and the line is almost 900 million miles long.

July 9 will be the best night to catch Saturn because it'll be at its closest approach and therefore its brightest. The best time to look out for the planet is around midnight local time, AccuWeather reports.

With a telescope, you should be able to see Saturn's rings, which are made up of dust, rock and ice particles. You could also spot Titan, the planet's largest moon.

MORE SPACE: Total solar eclipse, black moon, double meteor shower and more July 2019 astronomy events

AccuWeather takes a look at some of the reasons to look up to the sky this month.