A terrific Saturn

[Size9Hex]

Other than my first view of the misshapen outline in 10x50 binos a few years, I’m not sure Saturn has ever “Wow!"ed me as much as I thought it should. Actually felt a bit sad that I didn’t "get it". Until last night!

I used the 10" f4.7 dob, primarily at 180x giving better contrast on the planet’s banding and 250x giving better fine detail on the rings and shadows.

The outer A ring visible, darker than the wider B ring and separated by the clear Cassini division. The B ring seeming to to dim in brightness towards the inside edge closest to the planet. The dim C ring suspected occasionally in its extent away from the planet, but I think possibly quite clear where it crossed in front of the planet - there was a definite dark region here, if not the rings then banding on the planet itself. Also a fine shadow cast on the rings behind the planet, just after opposition.

When I flicked to 250x, I sensed a vinyl like texture on the rings. To be clear, I saw nothing precise or certain, but during 20 minutes at 180x there was no such impression and then immediately at 250x a sense of texture and intermittently afterwards. Something on the edge of perception or maybe just an artefact of the seeing.

Beautiful tones on the planet too. A deeper saturation of sulphurous yellow than the paler and brighter rings. Towards the temperate regions, more of an ochre. Separating the two broad regions a narrow, darker and richer band, seemingly formed from two close parallel bands with a brighter central channel, but this split was fleeting rather than certain. I didn’t know anything of Saturn’s bands prior to the observation and while the split is evident in a sketch I subsequently found on the internet, I don’t see it in the current images on this forum which makes me less confident. Either way, another change in tones towards the pole; Darker again, almost muddy.

A lovely chaos of stars and moons in the field too, although I felt no compulsion to identify them.

This was by far my best ever view of Saturn, especially those low contrast features. Beautiful, exquisite, subtle and enchanting. At the best moments, the view seemed comparable to a lot of the images posted recently. No, even of a distant fly past in a space ship! I’m buzzing! ?

The ecliptic curving beautifully across the summer sky too. Festoon-tastic on Jupiter. Mars was massive but rubbish!

Hope everyone else is getting some good views too.

[Stu]

Fantastic descriptions! It certainly seems to have got you this time

Saturn has been pretty disappointing for me so far this apparition, but the other night was pretty nice, despite the fairly wobbly viewing. Cassini clear and nice banding on the surface. Need to wait until later on though, which I imagine you did?

[Size9Hex]

33 minutes ago, Stu said:

Fantastic descriptions! It certainly seems to have got you this time

Saturn has been pretty disappointing for me so far this apparition, but the other night was pretty nice, despite the fairly wobbly viewing. Cassini clear and nice banding on the surface. Need to wait until later on though, which I imagine you did?

Thanks Stu ? 

I was out 10-11pm or so, so caught it as high as it was going to get. Quite surprised to realise it’s peaking in the south at 11pm already. Doesn’t seem long since opposition! I made a real effort to get collimation perfect, cool the scope and fan away any tube currents too. Not sure what effect it had, but I took the scope out to a "planet viewing" site with favourable geography for good seeing - may or may not help with the seeing, but then I can’t even see the planet at all with the horizon at home!

[Stu]

57 minutes ago, Size9Hex said:

Thanks Stu ? 

I was out 10-11pm or so, so caught it as high as it was going to get. Quite surprised to realise it’s peaking in the south at 11pm already. Doesn’t seem long since opposition! I made a real effort to get collimation perfect, cool the scope and fan away any tube currents too. Not sure what effect it had, but I took the scope out to a "planet viewing" site with favourable geography for good seeing - may or may not help with the seeing, but then I can’t even see the planet at all with the horizon at home!

Ah, so was I! Hadn't realised it transited so early already!