Saturn and moons, 13 May 2024

[Tulloch]

I don't post here often, but since nobody else has posted images of Saturn this year yet, here it is. I was up before the dawn to try and capture the Tethys transit of Saturn. The seeing was only fair, and my best result was the first capture at about 5:15am.

Here is Saturn at 150% captured size with (L-R) Rhea, Titan and Dione shown brighter and larger than actual, with Tethys just on the western rim (invisible) and its shadow about 1/5 of the way in on the left hand side. The rings are certainly closing up, this time next year they would have passed edge-on and starting open up again.

Anyway, just a prod to the planetary imagers out there, it's time!

[Dennis]

Very nice Andrew, very natural looking and the rings still look quite closed.

Dennis

[Dave882]

Nice shot mate you’ve done very well given the conditions. I’m impressed you were able to reveal the Cassini division with the rings almost edge on. Great work and thanks for posting!

[Tulloch]

Thanks for the comments :)

[Saturnine]

Thanks for sharing, good to see the 1st images of Saturn for this season, not as spectacular as some would expect, with the rings becoming more edge on, but that is celestial mechanics at play. One upside of the rings closing is that it makes the moons easier to see, without the brightness of the rings swamping them in contrast.

[Anth10]

Very nice Saturn shot Andrew, not what we’re accustomed to but interesting to see the planet on full display.
Like it.
Anthony.