saturn

Saturn taken from Conon Bridge on 21 April 2009 at 2300h

Multiple images were taken through a 2x Barlow on an 8" SCT using a Canon 400D. The multipleimages were stacked using Registax4 and processed using Adobe Photoshop CS & NeatImage..

Note that the rings are totally "edge-on".

Saturn taken from Conon Bridge on 01 April 2007 at 2300h
: Multiple images were taken through a 2x Barlow on an 8" SCT using a Meade DSI Pro. The multiple FITS images were stacked using Registax4 and processed using Adobe Photoshop CS. Only the IR and Red filters were in focus so the resultant black & white image is a combination of only these two.; Note that the rings are even less "face-on" than the previous two years.

Saturn taken from Conon Bridge on 24 Feb 2006 at 2100h

Multiple images were taken afocally using a 15mm Plossl + 2x Barlow eyepiece combination on an 8" SCT using a Nikon Coolpix 5700 digital camera. Exposures varied from 0.25sec to 0.5 sec at ISO 200, 400, & 800, f/4.2. The multiple images were stacked using Registax3 and processed using Adobe Photoshop CS.

Note that the rings are less "face-on" than at this time last year (see below).

Saturn taken from Conon Bridge on 25 Feb 2005 at 2100h

Multiple images were taken afocally using a 32mm Plossl + 2x Barlow eyepiece combination on an 8" SCT using a Nikon Coolpix 5700 digital camera. Exposures varied from 0.125sec to 0.5 sec at ISO 200, f/4.2. The multiple images were stacked using Registax3 and processed using Adobe Photoshop CS.

Saturn has been a great planet to view this winter. The angle it is currently at maximises the view of its ring system we get on Earth.
: The ring can be made out even with binoculars (13-36x with 70mm objective).
: The image above was constructed by taking a CCD video image through a 114mm reflector on 30 December 2003.
: The video images were stacked and refined using Registax v.2.2.0.0. The resultant image was then refined (unsharpen mask & despeckled) using Adobe Photoshop.
: Even this small image shows the ring system has a structure - a dense (whiter) inner portion and a less dense (greyer) outer. The Cassini division was visible through the telescope but it did not come out clearly on the CCD image.
: The shadow of the planet on the portion of the ring behind it is visible, as is a stripe about half way down the planet which is part of a weather system.