The Saturn & Satellites


Date & Time: Nov 18 2000, 20:16 JST(+0900), 13sec. Exp.
Optical: TAKAHASHI 12.5cm(4.9") fluorite refractor, afocal method with LV12mm eyepiece
Synthesized focal length f=1585mm (equivalent f=8700mm in 35mm film format)
Auto-guided with GOTO MX-II Equatorial
Digital Camera: OLYMPUS C-2020Z
Location: Ooizumi vil., Yamanashi pref.

Camera Settings: Mode.....SHQ (1600 x 1200, high-quality JPEG format)
Lens.....f=19.1mm (equivalent f=105mm in 35mm film format), Stop: F2.8
CCD sensitivity.....ISO100, White Balance.....Auto


The Saturn has more than 20 satellites, the Titan shown in lower right hand side is the biggest one in those with a diameter of about 5000km (3100 miles). The satellite is bigger than the mercury, and the biggest in the all satellites in the solar system. Apparent magnitude of the Titan is about 8, it can be easily seen with small telescopes.
The titan has the dense atmosphere consists chiefly of methane, The spacecraft of Cassini would go near to the titan in the beginning of 21st century and expected that the Cassini send us detailed information about the mysterious satellite.
And this image shows you more three satellites of Tethys, Dione and Rhea. All of those three are medium sized Saturnian satellites revolving inside of Titan, have apparent brightness of 10 or 11th magnitudes. You can observe them with large-sized telescopes.

Another trick image


Saturn in 1998
Change of Saturn's ring (1995-2012)

Copyright(c) 2000 by Naoyuki Kurita, All rights reserved.
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