Saturn reached opposition on 23 May 2015. It is a long way south of the ecliptic this year (around -18°) and so is very low in the sky.
The rings are continuing to open. Each year they will open a little more until 2017 when they will reach their maximum.
Only one picture this season. My new observatory was only up and running just in time for the end of the season for Saturn this year.
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This picture was taken at 22:48 UT on 9th June 2015. Saturn was almost due south at an altitude of 18° 30'. It was 1,351 million kilometres (9.03 AU) away and subtended an angle of 18 arc-seconds. The inclination of the rings was 24.4 degrees.
Date and Time: 9th June 2015 22:48 UT Camera: DFK 21AF04 Telescope: LX200 with X2 lens Capture: ICCapture. 1/13", gain 1023, 899 frames at 7.5 fps Processing: Registax 5. 150 frames stacked. Registax 6 Gaussian wavelets Scheme 7. Increase of contrast in PhotoImpact and Focus Magic focus 7, 50% |