All images are made with a self made CB245 CCD camera, mounted on a 80 mm f/15 refractor. I used oculair projection to enlarge the images. All are processed with unsharp masking. North is on top.
31 Jan 2003
Very good image of Saturn. This image was made by combining 38 images with integration times of 0.4 s between 21:05 - 21:16 UT on Jan 31 2003. This gives a total of 15.2 s! The images were taken with a higher resolution than the previous images: 0.8 "/pixel.
The division of Cassini is very clear in this image (the division between the darker outer ring and the lighter inner ring). You can also see the shadow of the planet on its rings (lower part).
08 Jan 2002
This image was generated by a software program, I wrote by myself. The software made it by combining 10 original CCD images, with exposure times of 0.5 s. This gives a better S/N ratio than a single image. The result is comparable with an image of 5 s exposure, but with a sharper result.
The second image is the same as the first one, but it has been scaled by a factor of two.
22 Dec 2000
An integration time of 0.5 s was used to make this image. The second image is an electronic enlargement of the first one. The rings are now much more 'open', compared with 1998.
09 Jan 2000
An integration time of 0.5 s was used to make this image. The second image is an electronic enlargement of the first one. You can clearly see
the shadow of the planet on the ring (small dark part of the ring on the left side). See also 31 Oct 1999 for more information.
15 Nov 1999
An integration time of 0.5 s was used to make this image. The second image is an electronic enlargement of the first one. The division of Cassini is very clear in this image. See also 13 Oct 1999.
31 Oct 1999
An integration time of 0.2 s was used to make this image. The second image is an electronic enlargement of the first one. On the image of 13 Oct 1999, you can just see the shadow of the planet on the ring (small dark part of the ring on the right side). The image of 31 Oct 1999 doesn't show this, because the planet is in opposition. The Earth is now exactly between the Sun and Saturn. The shadow of the planet on the ring is behind the planet and can't be seen from Earth. In a short time we will be able to see it again, but on the left side of the planet.
13 Oct 1999
An integration time of 0.4 s was used to make this image. The second image is an electronic enlargement of the first one. The rings of Saturn consist of two parts, the A and B ring. The A ring is the outermost, and is fainter than the B ring. They are separated by de division of Cassini (a gab), which can just be seen as a dark line between the two rings. Compare this image with the image of last year. We are now looking more to the southern hemisphere of the planet.
20 Nov 1998
An integration time of 0.5 s was used to make this image. The second image is an electronic enlargement of the first one. The distance between Saturn and the Sun is twice as big as the distance between Jupiter and the Sun. This is the reason that Saturn looks so much smaller than Jupiter. In reality, it's only a fraction smaller.
The planet casts a shadow on the ring behind the planet. The enlargement shows this at the left limb.
