The diagrams show the relative size of the planets during 2011 as seen from the Earth. All are shown on the same scale. The orientation is for the southern hemisphere with north at the bottom and east to the right. Below each diagram is the date, magnitude, apparent angular diameter and for planets out to Jupiter the percentage sunlit as seen from the Earth. Saturn, Uranus and Neptune appear virtually 100% lit at all times. The apparent tilt of Saturn's north pole is also given, +ve values mean the north pole is tilted towards the Earth. The larger the magnitude of the tilt the greater the exposure of the rings.

During 2011 Saturn's rings are beginning to open a little after being edge on to the Sun and Earth during 2009. They will continue to look narrow, with the tilt varying up and down during the year as the Earth swings from one side of its orbit to the other. This results in us looking at Saturn from varying angles. From the point of view of the Sun, the rings will slowly but steadily be opening as Saturn moves in its orbit round the Sun.