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JimK
sage
Reged: 09/18/05
Posts: 223
Loc: Albuquerque, NM USA
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In my area it has been cloudy quite often lately, but I saw a "sucker wedge" of clear sky just above the setting sun. Wow, maybe I could glance at Saturn even though it is very low in the murky sky.
Out comes the Questar, in 2-3 minutes I have it generally polar aligned, fitted with a 16mm Brandon eyepiece, and on the RA clock drive.
I see a bright yellow light in the western sky. It is quickly centered using the finder mirror, located in telescope mode, and then the barlow switched in.
And there is Saturn, except it looks really different - I could see no rings, but Titan was clearly seen to the west. No bands on Saturn's yellow disk were visible, and each side had a ring of atmospheric color (red on one side, blue on the other).
Saturn without rings - not something I see often. Of course the murky air may have had a part, since the rings are not supposed to totally disappear for another day or so, but it was good enough for me.
Saturn and Titan now are blocked by tree tops, so I put away my scope stuff (it's overcast everywhere else). The disappearance of Saturn's rings was something that I thought I would miss because of weather, but a small, portable observatory allowed me the view. Thanks Questar!
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Jim Rosenstock
Post Laureate
Reged: 07/14/05
Posts: 3708
Loc: MD, south of the DC Nebula
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This is my first time through Saturn's edge-on phase since I started observing seriously. I had been led to believe that this would be a disappointing phase to get through....but that has been far from the case. Saturn's lack of rings allows one to focus instead on its globe, or the lining-up of its moons, or the transits and shadows....
I'll be happy in a few years when the rings are again full-on, but I'm glad there's the edge-on phase, as well! 
Jim
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Erik Bakker
professor emeritus
Reged: 08/10/06
Posts: 529
Loc: Haren, The Netherlands, Europe
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Great report Jim!
Nice catch of Saturn and examplary of what can be done with a Questar.
Clear skies,
Erik
--------------------
Visual astronomer, main instruments:
Fully mounted Questar 7 P-BB
Celestron C 102F f/8.8 fluorite
Vixen FL 70S f/8 fluorite
Celestron C 55F f/8 fluorite
Sets of Zeiss, TeleVue and Brandon eyepieces
Zeiss 7x50 Marine B/GA
Zeiss TM german equatorial
Gitzo 224 with Manfrotto 501 fluid head
Unitron alt-az mount
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Matt Looby
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 07/09/03
Posts: 828
Loc: Wadhams, NY
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Thanks for the report Jim... I will try to catch saturn... as well..
B-T-W now is the summer to observe Jupiter's mutual events...
http://www.mikesalway.com.au/2009/08/06/jupiter-at-opposition-and-mutual-events-in-august-2009
Thanks,
Matt
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CN GALLERY
6" F/8 Newtonian
3.5" Mak-Cass
7x50 Binolux Binoculars
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greedyshark
super member
Reged: 10/31/05
Posts: 122
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Quote:
http://www.mikesalway.com.au/2009/08/06/jupiter-at-opposition-and-mutual-events-in-august-2009
Matt,
Thanks for the link to Mike's site...the Ganymede/Io occultation video is incredible 
CS,
Charles
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