Saturn storm+Tethys transit Aug 19th 2011

[Quark]

Hi All,

Imaged Saturn last night just after Sunset. The Jetstream had shifted marginally.


Saturn is becoming quite a challenge but as it is further South this year, the Palm tree that has thwarted my efforts over the last several years is not such a problem this year. Given good seeing I still hope to get more data.


I have 3 RGB & 807nm data sets at approx 20 min intervals. The best data set is the first one, the marginal seeing played havoc with the "B" channel as Saturn moved lower to the horizon.


My final capture was at an alt of 29 degrees.


There is also a transit of Tethys in this data. It is visible in the first RGB but not in the final two RGB's where the "B" channel deteriorated significantly. The transit of Tethys came up much better in my IR data.


Have attached both RGB & IR data sets along with their animations.

Thanks for looking.


Regards
Trevor

[Saturn%5]

Nice shots Trevor always enjoy looking at your work :thumbsup:

[asimov]

Nice work Trevor. The IR animation is great.

[icytailmark]

nice capture there trevor. Saturn is almost out of view now unfortunately :(

[John Hothersall]

Still giving this one a go and thank goodness for IR as Tethys shows well in this filter and storm still there with some structure brought to life in the animation. Well done for sticking with it.

John.

[Shiraz]

that's really good for the conditions Trevor. The seeing down here started out very poor and then improved, with a peak when the planet was at about 27 deg altitude - then fell off rapidly. Good going that you got Tethys. Regards Ray

[Quark]

Thanks very much Graeme.



Thanks Asi, the IR certainly handles the low alt quite well, the final two RGB's really suffered due to the crook "B" channel.



Thanks Mark, this is the longest I have been able to go with Saturn since 2008. Previously, due to its Northern position I have lost it in the top of my neighbors Palm tree by early to mid July. Now Saturn has come further South and will continue to come even further South over the next 7 years, so I can image it down to about 20 degrees alt.



Thanks John, the research groups I am involved with are very keen for me to follow through with this until I can no longer produce data of scientific value. I take solace in the fact that the best Saturn image of this apparition was taken at an alt of only 34 degrees, of course that was by Damian Peach but I think it shows that it is still possible, if the seeing is good enough. Even when at low alt.



Thanks Ray, yes, I was quite pleased to be able to resolve the transit of Tethys and good to see you upload your data to PVOL, several different research groups access data from there and I think it is great to make a contribution to planetary science.