snorkler
Aperture Aficionado
Reged: 10/11/04
Posts: 8266
Loc: Bay Area, California
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Saturn will soon be appearing in the pre-dawn sky. Here are some tips for those of you who have never seen it before, or want better views of it.
I'm not saying that some of us cheat to get good views of Saturn, but the following photos will show you how the pros do it.
First, find a good photo of Saturn. This one won't do, because of the unrealistic white space between the rings and the planet.
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Lotteries are a tax on people who don't understand math - Snorkler
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snorkler
Aperture Aficionado
Reged: 10/11/04
Posts: 8266
Loc: Bay Area, California
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Here's a better photo of Saturn to use. Get a good pair of scissors. I would have used black thread, but all I had in remote rural Utah was dental floss. I'll turn it black with a permanent black ink marker before using it.
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Lotteries are a tax on people who don't understand math - Snorkler
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snorkler
Aperture Aficionado
Reged: 10/11/04
Posts: 8266
Loc: Bay Area, California
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Here's Saturn almost ready to view. Once I dye the dental floss black, it'll be ready to insert in the telescope.
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Lotteries are a tax on people who don't understand math - Snorkler
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snorkler
Aperture Aficionado
Reged: 10/11/04
Posts: 8266
Loc: Bay Area, California
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Eastern US viewers sometimes mount their planets on plastic sheets, to simulate their mediocre seeing conditions. Here's a simulation of their simulation. I won't mention any names, but Tom Trusock complains about bad seeing in the midwest (that's east for those of us from California). Kinda like looking through plastic, right?
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Lotteries are a tax on people who don't understand math - Snorkler
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Mark9473
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 07/21/05
Posts: 2699
Loc: 51°N 4°E
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Mark
Leica 8x20; Vixen 8x42; Swift 8.5x44, 10x50 and 20x80; TS 7x50; Orion 15x63
WO Megrez II 80 FD + Baader 90° T2 Amici
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snorkler
Aperture Aficionado
Reged: 10/11/04
Posts: 8266
Loc: Bay Area, California
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This photo illustrates the problem that refractor users have. It's difficult to hide your secrets from other viewers without disassembling the front objective element. Before use, you have to reverse Saturn so it's facing the eyepiece, of course. This photo is just to illustrate how you set up for evening viewing of Saturn.
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Lotteries are a tax on people who don't understand math - Snorkler
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snorkler
Aperture Aficionado
Reged: 10/11/04
Posts: 8266
Loc: Bay Area, California
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Like this...
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Lotteries are a tax on people who don't understand math - Snorkler
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snorkler
Aperture Aficionado
Reged: 10/11/04
Posts: 8266
Loc: Bay Area, California
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Here's a reflector owner getting ready for a night of planetary viewing. Notice that it doesn't really matter if you have an unobstructed horizon. The trees actually give you a darker background.
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Lotteries are a tax on people who don't understand math - Snorkler
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snorkler
Aperture Aficionado
Reged: 10/11/04
Posts: 8266
Loc: Bay Area, California
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Here's a closeup of his secret for sharp reflector planetary views.
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Lotteries are a tax on people who don't understand math - Snorkler
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snorkler
Aperture Aficionado
Reged: 10/11/04
Posts: 8266
Loc: Bay Area, California
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The suspense is almost unbearable!  
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Lotteries are a tax on people who don't understand math - Snorkler
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calibos
sage
Reged: 11/18/07
Posts: 401
Loc: Ireland
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This is a Legendary post !!
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Keith D.
Orion SkyQuest XT12i
Moonlite CR Focusser with Rigel motofocus
Brian Reed 'RoundTable' Equatorial Platform
Howie Glatter Holograhic Collimator and Blug
Baader Hyperion 21/32mm,17mm,13mm,8mm,5mm,3.5mm EP
TS 15x70 Binoculars
[img]http://7timer.y234.cn/exe/apanel.php?country=EI&adm=EI31&site=92&en[/img]
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Silicon Owl
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 11/25/05
Posts: 943
Loc: Waimea, Hawaii
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Now that is classic!
Any time I show Saturn to the public I have never lost my personal bet that someone will accuse me (usually jokingly) that there is an photo/sticker/slide in the telescope. It never fails.
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Andrew Cooper
Personal Website and CN Gallery
Handmade 18" Dob / NS11GPS / 6" RFT / 90mm APO / TV-76 ...and a twin 10m
"I have loved the stars too fondly to be fearful of the night." --Sarah Williams
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snorkler
Aperture Aficionado
Reged: 10/11/04
Posts: 8266
Loc: Bay Area, California
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Yes, Saturn is supposed to face the primary mirror. This is just a how-to illustration. But look at the sharpness. Look at the clarity. You can see equatorial bands on Saturn. Cassini Division - no problem. Enke Division - no problem.
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Lotteries are a tax on people who don't understand math - Snorkler
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snorkler
Aperture Aficionado
Reged: 10/11/04
Posts: 8266
Loc: Bay Area, California
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Okay, some of you beat me to completing the series  . This is the final post. Saturn in a reflector, ready for the best views of your life!
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Lotteries are a tax on people who don't understand math - Snorkler
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snorkler
Aperture Aficionado
Reged: 10/11/04
Posts: 8266
Loc: Bay Area, California
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If this is going to be a classic, even legendary thread, this photo of alien life through a Schmidt-Cassegrain needs to be included
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Lotteries are a tax on people who don't understand math - Snorkler
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snorkler
Aperture Aficionado
Reged: 10/11/04
Posts: 8266
Loc: Bay Area, California
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Another view.
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Lotteries are a tax on people who don't understand math - Snorkler
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insinu8
sage
Reged: 01/22/08
Posts: 361
Loc: Sunnyvale, CA
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Oh god, stop! You're killing me!
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Christopher
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AT66ED
ED80
120ST (Moonlit)
NP127is
TMB 130SS
MN55 (Moonlit)
150MCT
TEC160ED (DOB: 11.06.08)
SN8
MN86
C9.25 (Moonlit)
XT10 Dob
Obsession 18"UC
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rd56
sage
Reged: 12/17/06
Posts: 291
Loc: Central New Jersey
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Dang!! I knew it was some kind of trick.
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-Orion SkyQuest Intelliscope XT8
-Meade ETX-105 Maksutov-Cassegrain
-Antares 8X50 RACI Finder
-Alt-Az/EQ mount with Autostar Go-To
-Meade Super Plossl Eyepieces: (9.7mm,15mm,26mm,40mm)
-SkyChart (Cartes du Ciel) software
Ron
E quindi uscimmo a riveder le stelle
(And so we came forth and once again beheld the stars)
Dante's Inferno
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star drop
Guilty as Charged
Reged: 02/02/08
Posts: 3247
Loc: Cattaraugus Co., NY
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That's the problem.  At first I thought that the desert heat had you confused a bit. That alien life form bit you and you have totally lost it. A classic post indeed. What happens if the wind spins Saturn around and your viewers read the words on the backside? I always have newcomers look down the telescope tube first and even then some ask that same question about a picture being inside. Sometimes you just can't win.
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Ted
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john D
All you have to do is ask!!
Reged: 08/05/07
Posts: 4965
Loc: Midlothian, VA
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then i could take some really good pictures of saturn! genus!
i remember seeing this before! its a cool idea! saturn is normally in the trees around here. 
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Meade ETX-125
Meade LXD55 mount
Philips SPC900NC webcam
Seymour Solar filter
Backyard Observatory
 -Midlothian VA
--Land Of The Free Because Of The Brave--
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RussL
Music Maker
Reged: 03/18/08
Posts: 1608
Loc: Cayce, SC
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So that's how they saw Elvis on the moon?
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--Russell
"Akita mani yo." Observe everything as you walk. (--Lakota)
Celestron Celestar 8 Standard SCT, f10
Celestron 80mm Wide View ref., f5
Criterion RV-6 Dynascope, Newt., f8, (c. 1962)
Sears Discoverer 60mm ref., f7, (c. 1973)
Celestron Ultima DX 10x50, 6.5 TFOV
Tasco 7x35 wide
Several mediocre eyepieces
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Jason D
Carpal Tunnel
Reged: 10/21/06
Posts: 1952
Loc: California
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Hey, wait a minute... This thread looks quite familiar... 
http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthreads/showflat.php?Cat=0&Number=1865436&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=all&vc=1
http://www.cloudynights.com/ubbthreads/showthreaded.php/Cat/0/Number/1865357/page/0/view/collapsed/sb/5/o/all/vc/1
Jason
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XT10 classic with premium optics
Tri-knob CR2 with compression rings
Round Table Platform
4.5" StarBlast
6" StarBlast6
TV EPs
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cuzimthedad
Just Be Cuz
Reged: 04/09/06
Posts: 2722
Loc: Sonoma, Northern California
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Great post Darrell and a whole lotta fun to boot!!
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Dan
20" Obsession (Freedom I...aka cuzimthescope)
TV102 (Star Dagger)
LXD75 AR-6 (Phoenix)
Megrez 80SD
Antares 1529 (Awaiting arrival)
Bushnell 7X50 Binoc
Zhumell 20X80 Astro-binocs
EPs: TV 5,7,9,11 T6s, 17 & 22 T4s, 31T5, 13E.
The Off Fisher Lane Irregulars
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DaemonGPF
Pooh-Bah
Reged: 03/22/08
Posts: 1466
Loc: New Mexico
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I just got a dirty look for spontaneously bursting out laughing while the kids are napping! This post is great!
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-Josh
*Orion Starblast Imaging 150mm OTA
*Orion Starblast Imaging 114mm OTA
*Meade 50mm AR short tube OTA
*Meade DSI Pro IIc
*Orion Starshoot DSCI
*CG5 mount
http://cleardarksky.com/c/AlbuqNMkey.html
My Messier Project Gallery
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albert1
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 01/01/07
Posts: 885
Loc: Northern New Jersey
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Yeh man, keep it dry and keep it comin
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Albert
Coulter Odyssey 10 (red)
Upgraded Astro Systems 2-speed Crayford
1984 C90 Astro, (cool little thing)
Upgraded to 1.25 visual back from .965
made a big difference in viewing quality.
Criterion Dynascope RV6
(another cool vintage scope w/an amazing little mirror)
Baader Hyperions
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kaaikop
sage
Reged: 07/13/08
Posts: 467
Loc: Ste-Therese, Canada
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Quote:
What happens if the wind spins Saturn around and your viewers read the words on the backside?
You would be able to read: Made in China
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Benoit, RASC Montreal
-C 9.25XLT on EQ6 Pro / ED80SF on Portamount
-Plossls, Radians, Naglers, LVW's & Orthos.
-a pair of 7x50's
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sabir
sage
Reged: 06/23/07
Posts: 467
Loc: Pune (India)
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This thread should be made into a sticky!
Sabir
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NyxAither
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 09/11/07
Posts: 829
Loc: Arlington VA
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Hahahaha! Hilarious! I didn't even start wondering about the legitimacy of this post until you put string on the cut out Saturn. I TRUSTED YOU!!
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Thomas
Orion XT8i
Orion 80-T Refractor
CG5 GoTo Mount w/ COL
Meade DSI II Color
Meade DSI (THANKS TODD N!!!)
Orion 4.5" Imaging Reflector
Laptop: Trusty Mac osX Powerbook G4
Early 1960's Gilbert 3" astronomical telescope
10x50 binoculars
SPC900NC
..::*~*Clear Skies*~*::..
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miniventures
Something Else
Reged: 09/13/03
Posts: 11056
Loc: Powell Butte, Central Oregon
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Darrell, ummm...do you have too much time on your hands? This was great fun.
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LarryC
Volunteer
http://www.sunrivernaturecenter.org
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setldown
member
Reged: 05/07/07
Posts: 99
Loc: N42° 33' - W87° 52'
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The Hubble uses high resolution digital photos.....same technique 
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Rick
Celestron 8SE w/ Bob's Knobs
Stellarvue SV-F50B2 9 x 50 RACI
WO 2" Quartz Dielectric Diagonal / WO Binoviewer
Jasper Always GLP
JMI Motofocus - MFNEX6
TV Panoptic 35mm - 27mm - 19mm
Nagler 13mm - 9mm - 7mm - Baader 8x24 Zoom
Powermate 2x & 5x
Canon 450d - Nikon Coolpix 4500 - SPC900nc
Location: Dark Side of the Moon
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DoctorNoodle
professor emeritus
Reged: 07/14/07
Posts: 663
Loc: Lawn Guyland, NY
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Re: Get the best views of Saturn, ever!
[Re: setldown]
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