October 21, 2025: Venus and Saturn reach opposition, appearing in opposite directions in the sky. Saturn sets as Venus rises, marking their final appearance before dawn this Venusian apparition.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 7:10 a.m. CDT; Sunset, 6:00 p.m. CDT. Times are calculated by the US Naval Observatory’s MICA computer program. Check local sources for sunrise and sunset times.
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Venus-Saturn Opposition
The Venus-Saturn opposition occurs today. The planets are in opposite directions in the sky. Saturn sets as Venus rises.
For a few weeks, Saturn has been difficult to see in the western sky as Venus rises. The Ringed Wonder has been behind the thick atmosphere, making it challenging to see even with optical assistance.
Geometrically, Venus and Saturn are not visible in the morning sky before sunrise after this morning.
Venus-Saturn conjunction occurred during late April, passing Jupiter on August 12, and now the separation with the Ringed Wonder is 180°.
Saturn appears in the east-southeast each evening after sunset, crossing above the south direction around midnight, and setting in the western sky before morning twilight begins.
Venus rises after Saturn sets in the eastern sky, shining from low in the eastern sky during morning twilight.
With this Venus-Saturn opposition, only two bright planets are seen in the sky simultaneously – either Jupiter and Saturn or Venus and Jupiter. The Jovian Giant rises in the east-northeast around midnight and is high in the south-southeast during morning twilight.
Mars and Mercury are not visible as they are tucked into bright evening twilight.
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