Saturn tonight..?

[paul mc c]

After a frustrating few nights trying to get the mount polar aligned I finally got it sorted,this was after I had removed it from the pier to try and image Saturn,but the seeing was terrible,so I got the 12" out and set it up at the side of the house to just have a look at Saturn,not really expecting much,but to my surprise the views were unreal.Cassini was very sharp as was the shadow on the rings,moons were little pin points and banding on the surface of the planet.I have been observing Saturn for many years and tonight was as if it was my first view of it.

I got so tied up in imaging that I forgot how good it was to just sit and observe,one of those nights that will stick in my memory.

[Stu]

Excellent stuff Paul. The planets are pretty challenging at the moment, but there are still some lovely views to be had when the seeing co-operates.

[chiltonstar]

When conditions are excellent, the view can be stunning as you clearly found! Although these light, humid and hazy evenings are not to everyone's taste, they do bring out the best in Saturn and Jupiter don't they?

Chris

[Alan White]

Nice that observing has been a rekindled pleasure for you.
 

[StarryEyed]

I got a good look at Saturn tonight with great skies. As the scope cooled and Saturn's biscuit colour (my son's words) started to pop and rings split it just puts the brakes on life for a moment.

[Pete Presland]

Its very easy to get so involved in imaging that you hardly look away from the PC screen. Nice just to observe and just let the photons collect on your eye and forget the world for a while. I saw a few meteors last night, including a real beauty, don't think it was a Perseid as it was heading towards the radiant, rather than away.