A colourful Saturn 09.09.23

[josefk]

Monday was unexpectedly (i.e. contrary to the forecast) clear early evening though "clear" turned out to be relative (it was always hazy high up) and transparency dropped over the hour between 20:00 and 21:00 BST as the haze thickened to high cloud. 

Anyway the target was Saturn and i was using my little FSQ-85.

On first set-up and first glance I was immediately struck by the lovely colours visible on this evening. My first view was using a Tak 5mm LE and Tak 1.5 Extender so x135 and an exit pupil of 0.6mm. The equatorial area was a very clean and striking lemon colour. Above the lemon equatorial region was a subtle blue/blue-grey dusky northern hemisphere (appearing to me to be fractionally darker towards the north west quadrant so a little bit counter intuitive). The ring shadow was very soft and a mid blue (i.e. not a typical hard black line) - this blue tint was really notable against the lemon equatorial band. Below the rings was the typical sandy yellow southern hemisphere. The oblate sphere of Saturn was quite striking to me on this night (it isn't always).

I was really hoping to see the Cassini Division (i haven't yet in this 3" scope) but it was a no show again (though i could imagine it easily enough i am sure i was imagining it). The outer circumference of the A ring was soft and i'm not sure i was seeing this ring very well TBH.

The TOE EP's are superbly friendly, comfortable and easy to use EPs even at just 18' and 15' FOV respectively in this configuration and on a manual alt/az - just a pleasure to use. Absolutely no drop off in crispness as Saturn drifted over the field stop (which was rather often).

The lack of transparency (i think) prevented catching three moons closer in than Dione showing below. Enceladus and Tethys were between Dione and Saturn and Rhea was also close by but i couldn't see them event though i was letting Saturn drift out of the FOV to see if they popped out. Strangely the haze (even glaring haze to the naked eye) didn't appear as glare next to the body of Saturn through the EP though...mmmh.

[mikeDnight]

Nice sketch Jose. I suspect the 20° altitude and haze was to blame for a Cassini no show. I normally consider anything less than 30° altitude less than ideal from my own site, but above that things dramatically improve. Your scope will definitely show Cassini's Division well when conditions allow. Looking forward to your next sketch! 

[josefk]

i'm relatively confident too @mikeDnight and i also blame conditions on this attempt. Fingers crossed for some worthwhile time at some point this autumn though i may be waiting a while longer than that for better altitude. What i haven't yet had chance to do is have little and large refractors out on the same evening to compare scopes and rule out sky differences in the comparison. As you said before though you can see more in a little scope out in the field than a big one that's sitting inside. Monday was a tiny window of opportunity so it was a running grab and go...

[MartianHill]

Nice drawing @josefk

If it’s any consolation at the moment I can only occasionally make out the extreme edges of the Cassini division in my 4” refractor when seeing co-operates.

 

 

 

Edited October 12, 2023 by MartianHill

[maw lod qan]

Excellent!

[bosun21]

Nice sketch Jose. The seeing conditions are a bit of a lottery. All we can do is to try and avoid the jet stream but trying to get this to coincide with clear nights can be frustrating.

[lunator]

Josefk, very nice report and sketch.

A grab and go setup is totally necessary in the current weather.

cheers

Ian