How much telescope do you need to see Saturn's rings?
Saturn reaches opposition on October 4, 2026, which is the best night of the year to point anything at it. Around that date the planet sits opposite the Sun in our sky: closest to Earth for the year, brightest for the year at about magnitude 0.3 (apparent), and above the horizon all night. The question I get every autumn is how much telescope you need to actually see the rings. The answer depends entirely on what you mean by “see.” ...