These images were taken using a Celestron  C14  mounted on an Astrophysics AP900GTO mount.  A Celestron Skyris PROTOTYPE camera is used.  RGB is done using a set of Chroma Technology RGB filters on a Starlight Xpress Motorized filter wheel.  Methane band images are done using a Chroma Methane Band filter (889nm  18nm bandpass).   Amplification is done using an Astrophysics Advance Convertible Barlow working at 2.5X.

Image acquisition was done using  Torsten Edelmann's Firecapture 2.5 software.  All images are NORTH UP!   The Skyris camera is controlled by a Thinkpad T530 through the USB port.  Processing was done using AutoStakkert! and Registax.

For info on Saturn's belts and zones please click this link.

You can also see my past images of Saturn at the ALPO Japan Kansai Branch site.

SATURN 2007	SATURN 2009	SATURN 2011
SATURN 2008	SATURN 2010	SATURN 2012
SATURN 2013	SATURN 2014	SATURN 2015

Seeing was good today. 

The polar spot and hexagon is very prominent.  Note the  bright spot on the NEB.

Seeing was good today but transparency was poor due to thin clouds.

The polar hexagon and the polar spot is prominent.  The +63 storm remnant can be seen on the right.  Note the two white spots on the NEB.

Condition was very good this evening.  But I had to deal with some clouds.

The Polar Hexagon is very prominent.  Note the dark spot on the S3TB.  There are low contrast white spots on the surface of Saturn.

Condition was perfect this evening.  The sky was clear so I was able to get a better image with a lot less data.

Note the dark spot on the N3TB..  Is this the remnant of the similar feature last year?  The polar hexagon is very prominent.

Condition was variable this evening because of clouds. 

The Polar Hexagon is still very prominent.   There are a lot of band details.  But now bright spots.  There are no prominent features on the CH4 image.

Saturn is finally at opposition.  I wasn't able to capture a lot of data tonight because of clouds.  The image shows the Seeliger effect.  The ring is very bright now and the disk is pale.

The polar hexagon is prominent. 

Seeing and transparency was variable this morning. 

The polar hexagon is distinct.  The round pole is also distinct.   There is a low contrast spot on the NEB just before the CM.

Seeing was good this morning.  I had quite a revelation last night.  For years I had been using the Astrophysics Convertible Barlow.  The problem was the blue channel doesn't seem to focus with the rest of the colors.   Last week as I drove by OPT, I bought the newer Advance Barcon.  I was shocked when the blue now focuses with the rest of the colors!

Here is probably one of my best image of Saturn.  This image was taken using the Skyris prototype camera I had been testing.  Note the polar hexagon is well resolved and a separate round pole.  There are some bright spots on the belts.

Seeing was unstable today.  Transparency was also variable because of clouds.   The image is still a bit grainy despite capturing more frames.

The polar hexagon can be seen. 

I have a late start for this season. Seeing was good this morning.  I should have taken more data but I was a bit tired today.

The polar hexagon is still visible in this image.  A lot of band details are visible.