Saturn reaches opposition at 8 p.m., rising in the east as the sun sets "opposite" in the west. Saturn is "only" about 790 million miles away, making it as big and bright as it gets this year. Look for a steady, pale yellow "star" in the southeast after 9 p.m. Better still, find a telescope. You will never forget your first view of Saturn's rings with your own eyes. NASA's Cassini spacecraft, launched in 1997, has been orbiting Saturn since 2004, sending back spectacular photos of the planet and its moons.