[jakeinspace]

I believe the 1.2B km was referencing mean orbital distance from the sun, which would be 8 AU, and therefore 7 AU from earth on closest approach.

[Denvercoder9]

No.

Saturn's perihelion (closest distance to the Sun) is 1.35B km (9.0 AU), its aphelion (furthest distance) is 1.51B km (10.1 AU), and its mean distance is 1.43B km (9.6 AU).

Thus, at closest approach Saturn is 8 AU from Earth (since Earth orbits at an almost-constant 1 AU from the Sun).

[jakeinspace]

After checking Wikipedia, you are correct.