Lunar Occultation of Saturn

[Tinderboxsky]

Unbelievably, a gap appeared in the low cloud that had hung around all day, four minutes before the occultation was due to start. Unfortunately there was quite heavy high cloud but Saturn was just visible as a faint, flat oval shaped light through the cloud. No detail was visible. I was able to watch the final four minutes of the Moon’s approach to Saturn.
With the Moon at only 8 degrees altitude, gale force winds and the high cloud, the limb of the Moon was shimmering alarmingly. I lost sight of Saturn as the shimmering limb of the Moon touched the oval light source from Saturn.
The low cloud is continuing to clear, so I am hopeful I will see the reappearance on the dark side through the haze of the high cloud.
I am observing with my grab and go Carl Ziess 85T*FL (@50X) on a Vixen Porta Mount as a tree is blocking the view from my observatory.

[Tinderboxsky]

A fast moving band of low cloud materialised just in time to obscure my view of Saturn’s reappearance on the dark side!!! :sadeyes:
I got my first glimpse of Saturn about 25 seconds after it’s reappearance with the cloud continuing to clear.
About five minutes later, most of the cloud had gone and there were faint strands of high cloud nicely illuminated by the Moon washing across the FOV. I brought the magnification down to 25 to give a wonderfull wider FOV with the Moon, Saturn in all it’s glory, some field stars and the illuminated strands of high cloud washing across. The simmering had settled quite a bit and the terminator of the Moon was now it’s spectacular self.
I then retreated out of the gale.