How Saturn’s apparent size changes
Saturn appears 19.5″ across on 27 October 2026. It is 8.511 AU from Earth and is decreasing after its maximum and moving toward the next minimum.
Saturn Size and Distance
Drag through the orbit to see how Saturn’s apparent size, distance, brightness and illumination change over time.
- Angular diameter
- 19.5″
- Distance to Earth
- 8.511 AU
- Magnitude
- 0.4
- Illuminated
- 100%
Drag the orbit to move through the cycle
Saturn Apparent Size Over Time
Approximately weekly samples cover the complete minimum–maximum–minimum cycle. Exact event dates are inserted between sampled rows.
| Date | Angular size | Distance | Magnitude | Rise–Set | Best observing |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Minimum | 15.8″ | 10.489 AU | 0.9 | 07:11 – 19:10 | — |
| 15.9″ | 10.482 AU | 0.9 | 06:47 – 18:45 | — | |
| 15.9″ | 10.462 AU | 0.9 | 06:22 – 18:21 | — | |
| 15.9″ | 10.431 AU | 0.9 | 05:58 – 17:57 | — | |
| 16″ | 10.388 AU | 0.9 | 05:33 – 17:32 | 05:50 – 06:09 | |
| 16.1″ | 10.334 AU | 0.9 | 05:09 – 17:08 | 05:25 – 06:07 | |
| 16.2″ | 10.269 AU | 0.9 | 04:44 – 16:43 | 05:01 – 06:05 | |
| 16.3″ | 10.195 AU | 0.9 | 04:19 – 16:18 | 04:36 – 06:04 | |
| 16.4″ | 10.112 AU | 0.9 | 03:55 – 15:53 | 04:11 – 06:04 | |
| 16.6″ | 10.02 AU | 0.9 | 03:29 – 15:28 | 03:46 – 06:04 | |
| 16.7″ | 9.922 AU | 0.9 | 03:04 – 15:03 | 03:21 – 06:05 | |
| 16.9″ | 9.818 AU | 0.8 | 02:39 – 14:38 | 02:55 – 06:06 | |
| 17.1″ | 9.708 AU | 0.8 | 02:13 – 14:12 | 02:29 – 06:07 | |
| 17.3″ | 9.595 AU | 0.8 | 01:47 – 13:46 | 02:03 – 06:08 | |
| 17.5″ | 9.48 AU | 0.8 | 01:21 – 13:20 | 01:37 – 06:10 | |
| 17.7″ | 9.364 AU | 0.7 | 00:54 – 12:53 | 01:10 – 06:11 | |
| 18″ | 9.248 AU | 0.7 | 00:27 – 12:26 | 00:44 – 06:13 | |
| 18.2″ | 9.135 AU | 0.7 | 00:00 – 11:59 | 00:16 – 06:14 | |
| 18.4″ | 9.025 AU | 0.6 | 23:33 – 11:32 | 23:49 – 06:15 | |
| 18.6″ | 8.92 AU | 0.6 | 23:05 – 11:04 | 23:21 – 06:15 | |
| 18.8″ | 8.822 AU | 0.6 | 22:37 – 10:36 | 22:53 – 06:14 | |
| 19″ | 8.732 AU | 0.5 | 22:09 – 10:07 | 22:25 – 06:14 | |
| 19.2″ | 8.652 AU | 0.5 | 21:40 – 09:39 | 21:56 – 06:13 | |
| 19.4″ | 8.582 AU | 0.5 | 21:11 – 09:10 | 21:27 – 06:11 | |
| 19.5″ | 8.525 AU | 0.4 | 20:42 – 08:41 | 20:58 – 06:09 | |
| 19.6″ | 8.481 AU | 0.4 | 20:13 – 08:11 | 20:29 – 06:07 | |
| 19.7″ | 8.451 AU | 0.4 | 19:44 – 07:42 | 20:00 – 06:05 | |
| 19.7″ | 8.436 AU | 0.3 | 19:14 – 07:13 | 19:40 – 06:03 | |
| Maximum | 19.7″ | 8.434 AU | 0.3 | 19:02 – 07:00 | 19:39 – 06:02 |
| 19.7″ | 8.436 AU | 0.3 | 18:45 – 06:43 | 19:38 – 06:01 | |
| 19.7″ | 8.451 AU | 0.4 | 18:15 – 06:14 | 19:36 – 05:49 | |
| 19.6″ | 8.481 AU | 0.4 | 17:42 – 05:40 | 19:35 – 05:20 | |
| Today | 19.5″ | 8.511 AU | 0.4 | 17:21 – 05:19 | 19:34 – 04:59 |
| 19.5″ | 8.525 AU | 0.4 | 17:12 – 05:11 | 19:34 – 04:51 | |
| 19.4″ | 8.582 AU | 0.5 | 16:43 – 04:41 | 19:34 – 04:21 | |
| 19.2″ | 8.653 AU | 0.5 | 16:14 – 04:12 | 19:35 – 03:53 | |
| 19″ | 8.734 AU | 0.6 | 15:46 – 03:44 | 19:37 – 03:24 | |
| 18.8″ | 8.825 AU | 0.6 | 15:17 – 03:15 | 19:39 – 02:55 | |
| 18.6″ | 8.925 AU | 0.6 | 14:49 – 02:47 | 19:42 – 02:27 | |
| 18.4″ | 9.031 AU | 0.6 | 14:21 – 02:20 | 19:45 – 02:00 | |
| 18.2″ | 9.143 AU | 0.7 | 13:54 – 01:52 | 19:48 – 01:32 | |
| 18″ | 9.257 AU | 0.7 | 13:27 – 01:25 | 19:52 – 01:05 | |
| 17.7″ | 9.373 AU | 0.7 | 13:00 – 00:58 | 19:55 – 00:38 | |
| 17.5″ | 9.489 AU | 0.7 | 12:33 – 00:32 | 19:58 – 00:12 | |
| 17.3″ | 9.603 AU | 0.8 | 12:07 – 00:06 | 20:00 – 23:46 | |
| 17.1″ | 9.713 AU | 0.8 | 11:41 – 23:40 | 20:02 – 23:20 | |
| 16.9″ | 9.818 AU | 0.8 | 11:16 – 23:14 | 20:04 – 22:54 | |
| 16.8″ | 9.918 AU | 0.8 | 10:50 – 22:49 | 20:05 – 22:29 | |
| 16.6″ | 10.01 AU | 0.8 | 10:25 – 22:23 | 20:05 – 22:04 | |
| 16.5″ | 10.093 AU | 0.8 | 10:00 – 21:59 | 20:04 – 21:39 | |
| 16.3″ | 10.167 AU | 0.8 | 09:35 – 21:34 | 20:03 – 21:14 | |
| 16.2″ | 10.231 AU | 0.8 | 09:11 – 21:09 | 20:02 – 20:49 | |
| 16.2″ | 10.284 AU | 0.8 | 08:46 – 20:45 | 20:00 – 20:25 | |
| 16.1″ | 10.325 AU | 0.8 | 08:21 – 20:20 | 19:58 – 20:00 | |
| 16.1″ | 10.355 AU | 0.7 | 07:57 – 19:56 | — | |
| 16″ | 10.372 AU | 0.7 | 07:32 – 19:32 | — | |
| 16″ | 10.378 AU | 0.7 | 07:15 – 19:14 | — | |
Why Does Saturn Change Size?
Saturn’s physical diameter is not changing. Its apparent angular diameter changes mainly because the distance between Earth and Saturn changes as both planets move around the Sun.
When Will Saturn Have Its Largest Apparent Diameter?
Saturn reached an apparent diameter of 19.7″ on 4 October 2026. That is about 1× wider than today, or roughly 1× the apparent disk area.
The largest apparent-size date has an observing interval from your location: 19:39 – 06:02. Apparent size alone does not describe seeing or atmospheric conditions.