An overdue occultation

[andyc (Andy)]

My snapshots from the Saturn occultation last month. Equipment was my 16" Dob with 14mm Delos attached. Held up to that was the EOS 60D with 100mm macro lens, 1/50s, 1/50s, 1/80s at f/3.2 and ISO 4000. Taken a few days before I headed to hand some of my dollars to the nice guys at Bintel in return for an eyepiece projection kit!

Maybe not up to the highest standards of images here, but I was very happy with the results of that night given all I was doing was holding the camera up to the eyepiece - I think the seeing was pretty good. The view through the eyepiece with just the rings arcing over the limb of the Moon is one I won't forget in a hurry

[noeyedeer (Matt)]

some good stuff seeming it was afocal and not taken separately. I am suprised no one else has commented and for people contemplating a dob with astrophotography in the future these are excellent results!!

well done Andy. most occultations are taken seperatly eg the moon .. then the subject and stitched together from what I've seen.

wish it wasn't so cloudy here at the time so I could see it visually .. looks like it was awesome

matt

ps, looks like you're on track for some nice pics with your ep projection setup when you get some time with it.

[John Hothersall]

Lots of good Saturn occultation images but this is really good as its in colour and details of both can be seen: craters and hint of cassini division which is actually difficult to get without Saturn being too dim or Moon being too bright.

John.

[andyc (Andy)]

Originally Posted by noeyedeer

some good stuff seeming it was afocal and not taken separately. I am suprised no one else has commented and for people contemplating a dob with astrophotography in the future these are excellent results!!

Thanks very much Matt! And the eyepiece projection project is now coming along slowly, and is a really good fun challenge without purchasing an equatorially driven scope.

Originally Posted by John Hothersall

Lots of good Saturn occultation images but this is really good as its in colour and details of both can be seen: craters and hint of cassini division which is actually difficult to get without Saturn being too dim or Moon being too bright.

John.

John, that is high praise from such an expert as you! One day I'd like to do planetary images just half as good as yours...

I worked a little with the curves in Digital Photo Professional to enhance Saturn without washing out the Moon, but you can't alter the image as much as you'd like due to the sheer scale of the contrast.