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Old 09-02-2007, 09:36 AM
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iceman (Mike)
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Solanum View Post
Is it possible to see the Cassini division with a 10" scope?
Most definitely! But it requires altitude and fairly steady seeing.

Wait until the planet is up higher, generally over 30°.

If the seeing is bad, the rings will all mush together and the globe will have no banding definition. When the seeing is average, you'll see bits of the cassini division popping in and out of view on the edges. When the seeing is great, you'll see the cassini division (almost) the whole way around the rings and they'll be visible immediately. The banding on the globe will be very sharp and evident.

It does take some time for your eyes to be trained to see what you're looking at. Observing is a skill, and you will get better at it.

Try observing Saturn at 120x or over, and push with higher magnification depending on the seeing.
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