This is the first image I took of Saturn using a video camera. Note the main division in the rings (called "Cassini's Division") and the cloud bands on the planet. My lifelong interest in astronomy began with a single peak at Saturn through my brother's small telescope when I was in high school. If you are new to astronomy, perhaps this image will elicit the same wonder and fascination in you as it did in me, and place you on a path to many more discoveries.
I have now observed countless objects in the heavens, but Saturn continues to have a special significance for me because it served as the entrance to the wonderful world of astronomy.
Saturn
Date Taken:December 20, 2003
Location Taken: Conditions of Location: Equipment Used:Takahashi TOA-130 5" apochromat refractor telescope, Philips Toucam video camera, Televue 4x Powermate
Processing Used:39-second video consisting of 600 images, stacked and processed in K3CCD, with further processing in Photoshop. I used a Televue 4x Powermate with no eyepiece.
Distance from Location: Constellation: Other Link: