Saturn Images
Saturn is also a terrific subject for amateur imaging.   Because of tilt of Saturn's equatorial plane, most of the time you can see the rings as a ellipse surrounding the planet.  The tilt also causes the moons to appear to move in an elliptical path around the planet.  This is different that the moons of Jupiter, which appear to move more along a line through Jupiter's equator.   You can see the largest moon, Titan, even in a small (3 inch) scope.  If you have a six inch are larger you can often see at least four moons.  The images here were all taken with my 8" LX200 and a MX-5C CCD. 

 
 
Scope:  8" LX 200 SCT
MX - 5C CCD
This image of Saturn is similar to view you will have in an 8-10 scope at about 100 power, except the moons may appear slightly brighter.  Click here for a larger image. Focal Ratio:  f10 through eyepiece projection
Exposure:  0.06 sec for planet, 7 sec for moons
Scope:  8" LX 200 SCT
MX-5C CCD Camera
This image was taken on 22 Aug 99 at 09:00 UT.  A 2X barlow lens was used to increase the focal ratio.   Click here for a larger image. Focal Ratio: f20
Exposure:  0.8 sec, 15 sec moons
Scope:   8" LX 200 SCT
MX-5C CCD Camera
One of the sharpest images I've obtained of Saturn taken on 13 Oct 99. Click here for a larger image. Focal Ratio: f20
Exposure:  0.8 sec
Scope:   8" LX 200 SCT
MX-5C CCD Camera
A very nice image of Saturn and four moons.  Taken on 23 Dec 99. Click here for a larger image. Focal Ratio: f20
Exposure:  0.6 sec Planet, 30 sec moons
Scope:   8" LX 200 SCT
MX-5C CCD Camera
Focal Ratio: f30
My first image of Saturn with the Orion 3X barlow, giving an effective focal ratio of f30.  Taken on New Years Eve, EST. 

Click here for a larger image

Click here for a DOS PC program to calculate the position of Saturn's moons (68 K Zipped file).  This program is freeware. 

 
Exposure:  two 1.0 sec images averaged for Planet; 5 sec for moons

 

First image in the year 2000.  Compare to the one above and note that the rings now appear more open.  It's also much sharper.

Click Here for a larger image

 Scope:   8" LX 200 SCT
MX-5C CCD Camera
Focal Ratio: f30
Exposure:  Four  0.45 sec images averaged for Planet; 15 sec for moons

Saturn and five moons.  This image approximates a telescope view at 100 power.  The left two stars in the image are background stars.  The brightest moon is Titan.

 Scope:   8" LX 200 SCT
MX-5C CCD Camera
Focal Ratio: f10
Exposure:  Five  0.01 sec images averaged for Planet; One 5 sec image for moons
Scope:   8" LX 200 SCT
MX-5C CCD Camera
Focal Ratio: f30
Exposure:  Six  0.5 sec images averaged for Planet; 10 sec for moons

Click here for a larger image.

 Scope:   8" LX 200 SCT
MX-5C CCD Camera
Focal Ratio: f30
Exposure:  Eight 0.45  sec images averaged for Planet; 5 sec for moons
Scope:   8" LX 200 SCT
MX-5C CCD Camera
Focal Ratio: f30
Exposure:  Twelve 0.45  sec images averaged for Planet; 5 sec for moons
Scope:   8" LX 200 SCT
MX-5C CCD Camera
Focal Ratio: f30
Exposure:  Fourteen 0.45  sec images averaged for Planet; 12 sec for moons

Image of Saturn

 Scope:   8" LX 200 SCT
MX-5C CCD Camera
Focal Ratio: f30
Exposure:  Eight 0.45  sec images averaged for Planet; 2 sec for moons

Click Here for Larger Image

Scope:   8" LX 200 SCT
MX-5C CCD Camera
Focal Ratio: f30
Exposure:  Eight 0.05  sec images averaged for Planet; 2 sec for moons
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