Saturn 2000's Images

Throughout most of the 2000's, the southern pole of the planet was tilted towards the Earth, resulting in a good view of the southern side of the rings. The rings were finally edge-on to the Earth in mid-2009.

Combination of 6, 0.1 second exposures. Meade 416xt CCD.
300mm f/18 cassegrain at prime focus.

Combination of 10, 0.25 second exposures. Meade 416xt CCD.
8" f/15 Clark refractor at prime focus.

0.1 second exposure. SBIG ST-8 CCD.
16" f/20 Brasheer refractor at prime focus.

Combination of 5, 0.1 second exposures. SBIG ST-8 CCD.
16" f/20 Brasheer refractor at prime focus.

Combination of 11, 0.2 second exposures. SBIG ST-8XE CCD.
30" f/5 newtonian at prime focus.

Combination of 100, 0.03 second exposures with a clear filter
and 30, 0.08 second exposures with red, green and blue filters.
SBIG ST-8XE CCD. 16" f/10 schmidt-cassegrain with a 2x barlow lens.

Same as the above image but stretched to show some of the moons. From left to right they are: Dione, Rhea and Tethys.

Saturn. June 2, 2007.
Combination of 100, 0.1 seconds exposure.
SBIG ST-8XE CCD. 300mm f/18 cassegrain telescope plus 2x barlow lens.

Saturn. June 21, 2007.
Combination of 50, 0.1 seconds exposure.
SBIG ST-8XE CCD. 300mm f/18 cassegrain telescope plus 2x barlow lens.

June 21, 2007.
Combination of 30, 0.05 second images unfiltered,
and 30, 0.05 second images with red, green and blue filters.
SBIG STL-1001E CCD. 16" f/10 schmidt-cassegrain telescope at prime focus.

June 21, 2007.
Combination of 40, 0.02 seconds exposure.
SBIG ST-8XE CCD. 16" f/10 schmidt-cassegrain telescope plus 2x barlow lens.

June 4, 2009.
Combination of 30, 0.2 second images unfiltered, and 30, 0.2 second images using red, green and blue filters.
SBIG ST-8XE CCD. 300mm f/18 cassegrain telescope at prime focus.

June 14, 2009.
Combination of 40, 0.5 second images unfiltered, and 30, 1 second images using red, green and blue filters.
SBIG ST-8XE CCD. 300mm f/18 cassegrain telescope plus 2x barlow lens.

Same as the above image, just processed differently to show the moons.

January 31, 2010.Combination of 90, 0.05 second images, using red, green and blue filters.
SBIG ST-8XE CCD. 20" f/6.8 Dall-Kirkham cassegrain with a 2x barlow lens.

The image above was taken under very poor seeing conditions. The darkish band on the left of the planet was the result of the poor seeing when the individual images could not be completely alligned.