Saturn and Beyond ...

<body topmargin=0 leftmargin=0 marginheight=0 marginwidth=0> <table cellpadding=0 cellspacing=0 border=0 height="100%"><tr> <td valign="top" width=168 BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF" background="13ea11c3.png"> <div> <A HREF="http://www.petergarbett.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.petergarbett.com"><B><IMG SRC="14f64510.png" border=0 width="100" height="81" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></A></div> <div> <A HREF="http://www.petergarbett.com" TARGET="_top" TITLE="http://www.petergarbett.com"><B>Home</B></A></div> <bR> <div> To many, the sight of Saturn, 'the ringed planet', through a telescope is amongst the most inspiring in astronomy. The tilt of the plane of Saturn's rings changes over the years as it completes its long, sedate, distant orbit around the Sun.</div> </td> <td valign="top" width="100%" BGCOLOR="#000000" TEXT="#F7F7FF"> <div> <B>Saturn and beyond ...</B></div> <div> <IMG SRC="00758020.png" border=0 width="600" height="2" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1d2750a0.jpg" border=0 width="373" height="266" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>13.4.09</B></div> <bR> <div> R(80%)RGB. Seeing 5-6/10.</div> <div> C14 @ F27; SKYnyx 2-0M; Trutek RGB; Baader UV/IR rejection.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1d3b9890.jpg" border=0 width="441" height="393" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>13.4.09</B></div> <bR> <div> RGB. Seeing 5-6/10.</div> <div> C14 @ F27; SKYnyx 2-0M; Trutek RGB; Baader UV/IR rejection.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1d47f080.jpg" border=0 width="383" height="264" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>20.3.09</B></div> <bR> <div> R(80%)RGB (R=23:55, G=24:03, B=23:42)  Seeing 5- 6/10.</div> <div> C14 @ F27; SKYnyx 2-0M; Trutek RGB; Baader UV/IR rejection.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1d517900.jpg" border=0 width="279" height="400" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>20.3.09</B></div> <bR> <div> RGB (R=23:55, G=24:03, B=23:42)  Seeing 5- 6/10.</div> <div> C14 @ F27; SKYnyx 2-0M; Trutek RGB; Baader UV/IR rejection.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1d674030.jpg" border=0 width="372" height="259" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>1.3.09</B></div> <bR> <div> R(80%)RGB (R=00:45, G=00:18, B=01:08)  Seeing 6-7/10.</div> <div> C14 @ F27; SKYnyx 2-0M; Trutek RGB; Baader UV/IR rejection.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1d7b82c0.jpg" border=0 width="440" height="300" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>1.3.09</B></div> <bR> <div> RGB (R=00:45, G=00:18, B=01:08)  Seeing 6-7/10.</div> <div> C14 @ F27; SKYnyx 2-0M; Trutek RGB; Baader UV/IR rejection.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Shadow transit of Saturn's moon, Rhea (just 0.24" in angular diameter) ...</B></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1d161200.jpg" border=0 width="353" height="288" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>22.4.09</B></div> <bR> <div> RRGB (R=21:35-21:42;G=21:46-21:52;B=21:53-21:56). Seeing 4-5/10.</div> <div> C14 @ F27; SKYnyx 2-0M; Trutek RGB; Baader UV/IR rejection.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Dione in Transit ... just visible!</B></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1cf81e70.jpg" border=0 width="385" height="231" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div>    </div> <bR> <div>     <IMG SRC="1d080f00.jpg" border=0 width="384" height="240" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> Upper:</div> <div> It is just possible to make out the tiny dark shadow on Saturn's moon, Dione</div> <div> projected onto the cloud tops in the northern hemisphere, immediately below</div> <div> the dark green/grey belt, slightly left of centre. Its apparent angular diameter </div> <div> was only 0.16". A white storm is in the southern hemisphere on a similar longitude </div> <div> may just be seen as a low contrast feature. The rings are inclined at just 0.9 degrees. </div> <div> Titan is seen to the right (west) of Saturn.</div> <div> 7.12.08   05:54 UT  Seeing: moderate  Transparency: quite good.</div> <div> C14 @ F27; SKYnyx 2-0M CCD; Trutek R,G,B filters and Baader UV/IR rejection filter.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Lower:</div> <div> The shadow of Dione is now approaching the right (west) limb. There now appears </div> <div> to be two very low contrast white storms in the southern hemisphere. Titan is seen </div> <div> to have moved since the previous image.</div> <div> 7.12.08   07:10 UT  Seeing: moderate  Transparency: quite good.</div> <div> C14 @ F27; SKYnyx 2-0M CCD; Trutek R,G,B filters and Baader UV/IR rejection filter..</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>A greenish spot in STrZ on Saturn ...</B></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1c393220.jpg" border=0 width="403" height="290" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="2" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>23.4.08</B></div> <bR> <div> RGB (R 22:20, G 22:13, B 22:06); mediocre seeing and transparency.</div> <div> C14 @ F27; SKYnyx 2-0M; Trutek RGB; Baader UV/IR rejection.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> Spot transit time 22:04 +/- 3 mins.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Saturn in very good seeing...</B></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B><IMG SRC="1be54e30.jpg" border=0 width="340" height="227" ALIGN="LEFT" HSPACE="6" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>10.2.08</B></div> <bR> <div> RGB (R  23:19, G  23:28, B  23:38)</div> <div> C14 @ F27; SKYnyx 2-0M; Trutek RGB; Baader UV/IR rejection.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> Separate Channels:-</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>R</B></div> <div> <B><IMG SRC="1bf54e30.jpg" border=0 width="340" height="227" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">      </B></div> <bR> <div> <B>G</B></div> <div> <B><IMG SRC="1c054e30.jpg" border=0 width="340" height="227" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <B>B</B></div> <div> <B><IMG SRC="1c154e30.jpg" border=0 width="340" height="227" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> Alternative versions ...</div> <div> <B><IMG SRC="1c27f420.jpg" border=0 width="383" height="322" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1c862fd0.jpg" border=0 width="354" height="253" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <div> The version above shows a hint of the Encke Division </div> <div> towards the extreme right edge of the rings.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1ad49a40.jpg" border=0 width="329" height="164" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><B>16.11.07</B>  05:42 UT</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Occultation of Saturn by the Moon</B></div> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1cb12580.jpg" border=0 width="786" height="600" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <div> The image was obtained a few minutes after Saturn had emerged from occultation by 39% phase thick crescent moon.</div> <div> 30cm Meade LX200 SCT @ F25, Lu075M CCD.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1af5d0e0.jpg" border=0 width="349" height="270" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">4.4.07</div> <bR> <div> 30cm Meade LX200 SCT @ F25, Baader UV/IR blocker filter and Trutek L,R,G,B filters.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1b0bf370.jpg" border=0 width="191" height="311" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">               <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFCC33" FACE="Trebuchet MS" >22.1.06  </FONT><FONT SIZE="4" COLOR="#FFCC33" FACE="Trebuchet MS" ><B><IMG SRC="1c438be0.jpg" border=0 width="312" height="190" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></B></FONT></div> <bR> <div> 30cm Meade LX200 @ F25; Lu075M CCD</div> <div>   </div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>18.2.06   Rare White Spot on Saturn!</B></div> <div> The white spot is caused by ammonia crystals and is several thousands of </div> <div> kilometres in diameter. These images are not as sharp as I would have liked</div> <div> as the seeing conditions were mediocre (Pickering 4-5), however, I was</div> <div> very pleased to have captured this quite rare event.</div> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1b468a60.jpg" border=0 width="360" height="166" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">22:49 UT</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div>  <IMG SRC="1b5fc690.jpg" border=0 width="252" height="105" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">   23:10 UT</div> <bR> <bR> <div> Lu075M CCD on 30cm Meade LX200 SCT @ F37 (upper), @ F25 (lower)</div> <div> Trutek RGB filters, Baader UV/IR blocker</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1b623860.jpg" border=0 width="291" height="134" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">       <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFCC33" FACE="Trebuchet MS" >3.4.05</FONT><B> </B></div> <bR> <div> Stack of more than 1,000 .avi video frames for each of the R,</div> <div> G and B filters. ATK-1HS CCD attached via a x2.5 power mate </div> <div> to my 30cm Meade LX200 SCT.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1b831bf0.jpg" border=0 width="305" height="191" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"> <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFCC33" FACE="Trebuchet MS" >1.3.04</FONT></div> <bR> <div> Stack of 120 images taken with SXV-H9 CCD and TeleVue 2.5x PowerMate </div> <div> on my 30cm Meade LX200. The colour information came from images taken </div> <div> through True Technology Ltd R, G and B filters. </div> <bR> <bR> <div> Saturn and satellites about to be occulted by the Moon</div> <div> on 16th April 2002 ...</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1b964c20.jpg" border=0 width="356" height="194" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">  </div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1ba646d0.jpg" border=0 width="356" height="365" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <B>Uranus</B></div> <bR> <bR> <div> Uranus and its Moons</div> <bR> <div> Quite a challenge! Here the brightness of Uranus relative to its moons has been substantially reduced</div> <div> to avoid saturation of the image.</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1cd89b80.jpg" border=0 width="393" height="440" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"><IMG SRC="1cea08c0.jpg" border=0 width="416" height="396" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0"></div> <bR> <div> Left:</div> <bR> <div> 21.9.08   00:56 UT (central time for satellite images)</div> <div> From top to bottom: Umbriel, Ariel, Uranus, Oberon, Titania.</div> <div> Uranus apparent angular diameter = 3.66".</div> <div> C14 @ F28: satellite data from SXV-H9 CCD stack of 192 x 2s; Trutek L filter and Baader UV/IR rejection filter binned 4x4</div> <div> Uranus data from SKYnyx 2-0M CCD with Baader UV/IR rejection filter and Trutek R, G, B filters.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> Right:</div> <bR> <div> 31.8.08   01:09 UT (central time for satellite images)</div> <div> From top to bottom: Titania, Umbriel, Ariel, Uranus.</div> <div> Uranus apparent angular diameter = 3.66". Seeing Pickering 7+ but poor transparency.</div> <div> C14 @ F44: SXV-H9 CCD Baader UV/IR rejection filter,  Trutek R, G, B filters: R = 14 x 2s, G = 45 x 2s; B = 16 x 2s.</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> The green with a hint of blue colouration of Uranus</div> <div> is due to the presence of methane in its atmosphere.</div> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1bb532e0.jpg" border=0 width="339" height="302" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">25.8.07  <FONT SIZE="2" COLOR="#FFCC33" FACE="Trebuchet MS" >01:40 UT</FONT></div> <bR> <div> C11 @ F40; SXV-H9 CCD; Baader UV/IR blocker;</div> <div> RGB: R = 112 x 2s; G = 88 x 2s; B = 134 x 2s; </div> <div> angular diameter = 3.66".</div> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <bR> <div> <IMG SRC="1bc240a0.jpg" border=0 width="292" height="266" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">14th<FONT SIZE="5" COLOR="#FFCC33" FACE="Trebuchet MS" > </FONT><IMG SRC="1bd240a0.jpg" border=0 width="292" height="266" ALIGN="BOTTOM" HSPACE="0" VSPACE="0">16th</div> <div> Above: Not a gas giant, but ... Pluto reveals itself by its motion over a two day </div> <div> period in July 1999</div> </td> </tr></table></body>