Saturn & Neptune Conjunction
Taken by Alan Dyer on February 10, 2026 @
near Gleichen, Alberta, Canada
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Camera Used: Canon Canon EOS R5
Exposure Time: 30/1
Aperture: f/1.8
ISO: 800
Date Taken: 2026:02:11 13:21:30
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Details:
This is bright yellowish Saturn, at bottom, below smaller, dimmer and bluish Neptune, the brightest object at top.
They were just 1º 08' apart this night and similarly close through February 2026. They had been close together in the summer of 2025 then pulled apart again. But Saturn's motion brought it back close to Neptune this month for the last time in decades, with the worlds low in the southwest evening sky about to disappear behind the Sun. They were in Pisces.
Though visually not spectacular, this was the last time we will see these two planets this close together in the 21st century. While Saturn passes only 7 arc minutes above Neptune on June 7, 2061 they will be just 3º from the Sun and invisible in the day sky. By the time they emerge into the dawn sky they will be 3º apart. And their meeting in August 2096 isn't very favourable for viewing either. So enjoy this rare meeting of two outer planets.
Saturn's moon Rhea is a dot to the right of Saturn's overexposed disk. Titan was too close to Saturn and Triton was too close to Neptune for either of their largest moons to show up at this scale.
Technical:
This is a stack of 8 x 30-second exposures with the Askar APO120mm refractor at f/5.6 and the Canon R5 at ISO 800, tracking on the ZWO AM5 mount, but with no guiding.
Photographer's website:
https://amazingsky.com
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