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Cassini Division - ???

  • DaveGrennan
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17 years 7 months ago #45286 by DaveGrennan
Replied by DaveGrennan on topic Re: Cassini Division - ???

Thanks for the info, lads. I definitely think that the seeing is NOT the problem; most nights I have viewed Saturn it has been dead clear and steady.


José,

Unless you are living somewhere like barbados, I'd say that seeing IS the problem. There are two main types to seeing to content with. Large scale seeing problems makes the planet dance around. This is easy to spot. However small scale seeing is not so readily detectible and is frightningly common. Yoo would not see the planet dance around but your view of fine features like the cassini division is seriously hampered.

When you get a night when both types of seeing are perfect you will know it. It happened for me about three weeks ago. On that night I could easily see the cassini division completely encircling Saturn as well as subtle banding features on the glode itself. In the 20+years I've been using telescopes, I can count on my fingers the number of times the seeing was that good. Under average/good seeing which will occur maybe one or two nights per month you should expext to see hints of the cassini division in your scope. However any worse seeing than that you can forget such small scale structures.

I readily measure the seeing while focusing my camera and I can tell you that more often than not than niot the seeing would not be good enough to see such structure.

All that does is makes the nights when it all comes together that bit more special. Make sure your scope is well collimated so you don;t lose out on those nights.

Regards and Clear Skies,

Dave.
J41 - Raheny Observatory.
www.webtreatz.com
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  • StarryPlough
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17 years 7 months ago #45297 by StarryPlough
Replied by StarryPlough on topic Re: Cassini Division - ???
Thanks again lads. I'll check the collimation tonight and get back to ye. I could have sworn I saw the faintest hint of a micron-thin black line in the rings last night, but again I can't be sure if I'm just seeing what i want to see!

I'll definitely have to get a few filters and some new eyepieces, though...

Any tips on which colours work best on Saturn?

Alan, in the Burren

Meade LXD75 6", a pair of Nikon 8x40's, not much else

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