See Saturn and the moon in a stunning close encounter tonight

A man wearing a white and blue striped shirt stands next to a white telescope on a tripod as they both look up into a dark blue night sky where a bright dot is seen.

Monday evening (Aug. 11) offers a perfect chance to identify what many consider the most beautiful object in the night sky: the ringed planet Saturn. Helping guide the way, will be another familiar celestial companion, the moon, shining in its waning gibbous phase.

As I've pointed out over the years here at Space.com, to the naked eye, Saturn does not exactly scream for attention. It lacks the dazzling, eye-popping brilliance of Venus or Jupiter and it does not have the fiery orange-yellow color of Mars.