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View Full Version here: : Saturn sketch + ob's notes 10/4/10


orestis
11-04-2010, 07:11 PM
Hi everyone:hi:,

It was partly cloudy but that didn't stop me from taking out the scope and observing what i could.The seeing was particularly good:D.

Mars-At 180X magnification i could easily see the NPC outlined with a dark collar ,after about a minute i noticed the SPC(which i haven't seen before),also with a collar around it,about half the size of the NPC.I also noticed a darkish patch coming of the right(sorry don't know planetary directions):shrug:.

Homunculus Nebula- Because the seeing was so good i thought i might pop up the mag this time to the most i can get with my eps and barlow ,i used the 6.5mm plossoll and 2x barlow which gave me a magnification of 277X which is higher than the theoretical limits of my scope which says that 250X is max.despite this focus was easily achievable and i could see a definate elongation,after some time i think i saw little wings coming off eta carinae going East - west,i'm not sure if what i was seeing was my imagination or the real deal.

Saturn-At 277X magnification saturn was focusable and also quite big.The rings were pretty much edge on but of moments of really good seeing i could glimpse the gaps beside saturn.On the planets surface i could see that,on top of the ring and on the bottom of the ring i could see a creamy colured strip,and arond the poles it was its usual browny yellow colour.Regarding its moons Titan was to the far left of saturn,i could also see 2 other moons of about equal magnitude one to the close left of saturn and one to the close right of saturn.acording to stellerium the one to the left was Dione and the one to the right was Tethys.I also did a sketch (attached),Titan is not shown in the sketch as it is out of view.Unfortunately there is no colour in the sketch:sadeyes:.

Thank you for reading my obs notes and looking at my sketch
regards Orestis;)
ps- all seen with a 130mm telescope

Paddy
11-04-2010, 08:53 PM
Sounds like the real deal to me, Orestis. Nice obs and sketch!

orestis
12-04-2010, 07:56 AM
Thanks for the comments,The sketch Looks a lot better on the paper in front of me ,damn scanner doesn't do it justice.

Clear skies
Orestis;)

pgc hunter
12-04-2010, 09:31 PM
Nice job on Mars, considering it's tiny size and northern declination. All I ever got this season was a blurry orange ball.

michaellxv
12-04-2010, 09:34 PM
Nice report. There's something about Saturn that keeps bringing me back. I am looking forward to watching the rings open up over the next few years.

orestis
13-04-2010, 07:56 AM
Sab- i was really lucky that night i had incredible seeing.

Michael-I too am looking forward to them opening up:D