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Jupiter and Saturn in 2022

All times are in GMT. For example, in the US subtract 5 hours for EST (4 hours for EDT), so an event at 2 H will be seen at 9 PM EST or 10 PM EDT the previous evening in North America; for PST subtract 8 hours (7 hours for PDT)

early April	Saturn starts to appear in the east just before dawn.
late April	Jupiter starts to appear in the east just before dawn.
April 30	Jupiter is less than a degree from Venus, low in the east just before sunrise. The low angle of the ecliptic makes this challenging for northern hemisphere observers.
May 29	Jupiter is only 0.6° from Mars, just before sunrise.
mid June	Saturn rises before midnight.
mid July	Jupiter rises before midnight.
August 14	Saturn at Opposition (mag. 0.3), in Capricornus. The rings are open 14° to us (we see their north side).
September 26	Jupiter at Opposition (mag. -2.9), in Pisces.
December	Saturn is still easily visible after sunset, and Jupiter is still high in the sky and well-placed for observing.

Jupiter: This year, we’re just a bit over 2° above Jupiter’s equator and the planes in which it’s bright satellites orbit. Thus, these moons all appear to travel on almost (but not quite) straight lines. Except for Callisto, they and their shadows pass in front of Jupiter. Those moons (Io, Europa, and Callisto) also get blocked by Jupiter and its shadow. This handy Jupiter's Moons link from Sky & Telescope Magazine will guide you to the moons and what they’re doing tonight.

If you’re up until before dawn, you can observe Jupiter as early as April, but it’s not well clear of twilight and easily observable in the wee hours until June . It’s at opposition on September 26, when it rises at sunset and by midnight it’s near the meridian (due south, if you live in the northern hemisphere). After having spent six years moving the southern constellations, it’s now finally reaching the celestial equator so it’s becoming better placed for northern observers to see it in steady skies.

As always, look for the zones and belts. Even when its color is subdued, you should look for the Great Red Spot in the southern equatorial belt within an hour or so of when Jupiter’s rotation brings it towards us (this handy Red Spot transit times link, also from S&T Magazine will tell you when to look).

Jupiter and Saturn location — In 2022, Saturn precedes Jupiter in the night sky by about 3 hours throughout the second half of the year.

Saturn: In 2022 Saturn is at opposition on August 14. It’s visible before dawn by the April and is well placed in the pre-dawn skies by June. From September through the end of the year it’s well placed after twilight.

This year, we’re 14° out of the plane of Saturn’s equator: you can see its north pole, and the rings look partly open (they were at their widest in 2017). That means that this is a good year to look at the rings before they start to become less prominently displayed over the next several years. Make sure to look for Cassini’s division, which should be easily visible even in a small telescope if the sky is steady and also see how many of its moons you can find. To know where they are on any night, consult this useful Saturn's Moons link to from Sky and Telescope to keep track of them (they also have a handy mobile app).

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