Uploaded July 2026 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
While you’re out watching the Perseids, or walking back from the pub this month, look out for Saturn rising in the East at around 11’o’clock. It will rise earlier and earlier as August goes on, so that by the start of September it will rise at 9’o’clock.
Saturn has that yellowish tinge to it that helps you pick it out from the background stars. But if you’re not sure what you’re looking for I’ve got two tricks for you to spot Saturn.
The first trick is to know that stars twinkle but planets don’t. That’s because the light from stars is a tiny pinprick, so any turbulence in the Earth’s atmosphere disturbs the starlight and makes them twinkle. But the light from planets covers a larger area, so even if some light gets disturbed as it passes through the atmosphere, the planet light still looks more solid.
The second trick is to use the Moon as a handy signpost for where to look. On the night of 3rd August into morning of the 4th, the just past half Moon will be above Saturn making it easier to find. That way you can learn which window from your house, or spot in your garden, gives you the best view of Saturn.
It’s good to do your homework now to find Saturn because it will be getting steadily brighter and brighter in the sky through August and September as it gets closer to lining up with Earth and the Sun at the start of October.
Video filmed on a Sony ⍺7 IV
Video edited by Martino Gasparrini: martino.freelance@gmail.com
Video produced by Marina Hui & Dr Becky Smethurst
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📚 My book, "A Brief History of Black Holes", out NOW in hardback, paperback, e-book and audiobook (which I narrated myself!): lnk.to/DrBecky
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👕 My merch, including JWST designs, are available here (with worldwide shipping!): dr-becky.teemill.com
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🎧 Royal Astronomical Society Podcast that I co-host: podfollow.com/supermassive
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🔔 Don't forget to subscribe and click the little bell icon to be notified when I post a new video!
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👩🏽💻 I'm Dr. Becky Smethurst, an astrophysicist at the University of Oxford. I love making videos about science with an unnatural level of enthusiasm. I like to focus on how we know things, not just what we know. And especially, the things we still don't know. If you've ever wondered about something in space and couldn't find an answer online - you can ask me! My day job is to do research into how supermassive black holes can affect the galaxies that they live in. In particular, I look at whether the energy output from the disk of material orbiting around a growing supermassive black hole can stop a galaxy from forming stars.
drbecky.uk.com
While you’re out watching the Perseids, or walking back from the pub this month, look out for Saturn rising in the East at around 11’o’clock. It will rise earlier and earlier as August goes on, so that by the start of September it will rise at 9’o’clock.
Saturn has that yellowish tinge to it that helps you pick it out from the background stars. But if you’re not sure what you’re looking for I’ve got two tricks for you to spot Saturn.
The first trick is to know that stars twinkle but planets don’t. That’s because the light from stars is a tiny pinprick, so any turbulence in the Earth’s atmosphere disturbs the starlight and makes them twinkle. But the light from planets covers a larger area, so even if some light gets disturbed as it passes through the atmosphere, the planet light still looks more solid.
The second trick is to use the Moon as a handy signpost for where to look. On the night of 3rd August into morning of the 4th, the just past half Moon will be above Saturn making it easier to find. That way you can learn which window from your house, or spot in your garden, gives you the best view of Saturn.
It’s good to do your homework now to find Saturn because it will be getting steadily brighter and brighter in the sky through August and September as it gets closer to lining up with Earth and the Sun at the start of October.
Video filmed on a Sony ⍺7 IV
Video edited by Martino Gasparrini: martino.freelance@gmail.com
Video produced by Marina Hui & Dr Becky Smethurst
---
📚 My book, "A Brief History of Black Holes", out NOW in hardback, paperback, e-book and audiobook (which I narrated myself!): lnk.to/DrBecky
---
👕 My merch, including JWST designs, are available here (with worldwide shipping!): dr-becky.teemill.com
---
🎧 Royal Astronomical Society Podcast that I co-host: podfollow.com/supermassive
---
🔔 Don't forget to subscribe and click the little bell icon to be notified when I post a new video!
---
👩🏽💻 I'm Dr. Becky Smethurst, an astrophysicist at the University of Oxford. I love making videos about science with an unnatural level of enthusiasm. I like to focus on how we know things, not just what we know. And especially, the things we still don't know. If you've ever wondered about something in space and couldn't find an answer online - you can ask me! My day job is to do research into how supermassive black holes can affect the galaxies that they live in. In particular, I look at whether the energy output from the disk of material orbiting around a growing supermassive black hole can stop a galaxy from forming stars.
drbecky.uk.com
