Guwahati: Guwahati Planetarium organised a live telescope-observation session on Sunday to mark Saturn’s opposition, drawing more than 100 people, particularly young visitors, who gathered to observe the ringed planet through telescopes.The session gave astronomy enthusiasts and members of the public an opportunity to observe Saturn as it reached opposition — a phenomenon in which the Sun, Earth and Saturn are positioned approximately in a straight line, with Earth between the Sun and Saturn. Saturn reached opposition on Sunday.“Saturn’s opposition occurs roughly once every 12 and a half months. The event is considered a favourable period for observing the planet, as Saturn appears brighter in the eastern sky and remains visible for longer during the night,” said Rituparna Thakuria, director of the Guwahati Planetarium.The live-observation session saw a steady turnout of young visitors, many of whom waited for their turn to view Saturn through the telescope. Planetarium officials also explained the astronomical phenomenon and answered questions about Saturn, its rings and planetary movements.The event aimed to encourage public interest in astronomy and make astronomical phenomena accessible beyond textbooks and digital screens.“Events like this give people an opportunity to understand astronomy through direct observation. It is particularly encouraging to see so many young people taking an interest in the night sky,” Thakuria said.She also said Saturn was approximately 126 crore km from Earth during this year’s opposition. As Earth and Saturn continue to move along their respective orbits, the distance between them varies. At opposition, Saturn is at its closest to Earth for the year, making it appear brighter and creating favourable viewing conditions.
