OCCULTATION OF
SATURN
MEMBERS' REPORTS
OCCULTATION OF SATURN
Saturday, 3rd November, 2001.
Saturn reappearing from
behind the moon's dark limb. 22h 05m 24s UT
Hackness, SCARBOROUGH, N. Yorkshire,
Lat +54d 18' 16.3" Lon W 0d 30' 40.6"
Nearly all of the country had clear skies for the first occultation by the
Moon of Saturn for many years. The same could not be said for the daylight
occultation of Jupiter in the early afternoon of September 12th. when total
cloud cover spoilt our opportunity to observe on that occasion. Never mind,
Northern UK will witness an evening occultation of Jupiter at around 18h on
Jan26, 2002 and all of the country, an early morning occultation of the largest
planet at around 03h on Feb 23.
Now, back to Saturn!
Here are reports that SPA members sent into me after their observations of the Saturn occultation of November 3rd. My thanks to all members who have contributed.
Eight members of the Scarborough and District Astronomical Society together
with the Director set up telescopes and, equipped with stop watches, had a
great deal of fun watching and timing various aspects of the occultation from
a very dark site to the west of Scarborough, in the North York Moors National
Park. At the end of the event everyone agreed that this had been the best
occultation of a planet that any of them had ever seen.
By timing the moment the preceding ansa (leading edge of the ring system)
was touched by the moon and making a further timing of the moment that the
following ansa ( the most easterly "handle" of the rings ) disappeared,
it was possible to come up with a timing when the exact centre of the planet
was occulted by the moon. Our result was: 21h 09m 43.04s.
Because of the difficulty in spotting the exact moment of the reappearance
of the preceding ansa,( from behind the dark limb, making it difficult to
be looking at the exact spot where the reappearance would take place!) we
decided to enjoy the wonderful sight of the flattened "crescent"
of the rings reappearing above the southern edge of Mare Crisium, "The
Sea of Conflicts", at the time, was cut by the Sunset Terminator and
had long, sharp shadows crossing over what was still illuminated of it, cast
by the mountains on the western rim.
We estimated the moment when half the disk was visible and our timings very
much agreed and bty taking the average of all the figures arrived at a time
of 22h 05m 22s.
Photo
taken by SPA Member Eddy Horsley, Hartlepool.
With digital camera through the eyepiece of his254mm f/5.8 Newtonian Reflector
REPORT FROM EDDIE HORSLEY
On the evening of
, 3rd November, 2001, the moon occulted the planet Saturn. I viewed this through
my 10" f/5.8 Newtonian Reflector. The image was absolutely unforgettable.
The event started at 2109 UT and ended at 2206 UT.
I watched this event from my home town of Hartlepool, which is 54 deg north.
Watching the planet reappear on the darkened limb near Mare Crisium, and seeing
the flattened effect of the ring system was a fantastic sight indeed. The
image of the reappearance was captured at 2210 UT, once the planet was fully
visible. The camera was a digital one set on snap shot. No masking of any
kind has been done to the photograph. The image of the moon is over exposed
but you can clearly see the colour of the ring system and very subtle differences
on the planets disc.
This was my first telescopic view of a planetary occultation, and I look forward
to my next one.
REPORT FROM PAUL JELLYMAN
I am a new member
(and new (amateur) astronomer
Lat 50deg 57 ' 28" N
Long 001deg 13' 42" W
03 Nov - Leading edge
of Saturn rings started a lunar occultation at 21:02:43 UT and immersion was
complete at 21:03:04 UT (DB).
Reappearance was earlier than I expected and took me by surprise! Exact timings
of RD are not available but Saturn was in full view of Saturn at 22:01:45
UT.
I was using a Meade DS114EC (f/8) reflector with a 25mm lens. Sky conditions
were clear and low level pollution (smoke from bonfires and fireworks) only
slightly marred the view. Regrettably I don't have astrophotographic
equipment (yet!). Paul lives near Southampton.
Saturn about to be occulted by the Bright limb of the moon.21h
04m, Hackness, North Yorkshire.
REPORT FROM IAN PHELPPS
I have just come back indoors, I was totally clouded out for the reappearance
event. But I was fortunate to see the disappearance event in full, with only
minor intervention by thin semi-transparent cloud. Here is a chronology of
the event from my notebook.
Observers, Ian S Phelps (SPA 12590) & Lydia M Phelps.
Geog' position. Warrington, Lat= 53o 23' 55" N. Long= 2o 35' 57"
W. Alt= Between 10 & 15metre contour lines. (Ordnance Survey).
Instrument, 114mm f8 Newtonian. x32 (x150 not used as it allowed only a poor
view through the patches of thin cloud).
Time piece, Casio digital watch with LCD display. Set to TV clock.
NB. My wife (Lydia) also observed the event through tripod mounted 15x80 binoculars.
Observing notes, times in UT.
20:45, I set up the observing equipment in the back yard,
The Moon was visible shrouded by thin cloud, but Saturn could not be seen
to the unaided eye.
21:00, Saturn and the Moon both comfortably within the x32 e/p field. Saturn
appeared much dimmer compared to the Moon. Cloud density varied, but Saturn
always visible. Titan not visible.
21:01, Saturn very close to limb, I quickly changed e/p for x150, but cloud
caused problems, image was not clear enough so I switched back down to the
x32.
21:04, Saturn very close to the limb now, Titan still not visible.
21:06, Saturn at a pronounced angle to Lunar limb, appearing to skim along
it as the seconds draw near to 1st contact.
Event timings,
1, P/Ansae, 21:06 48sec's.
2, P/limb Globe, 21:07 13sec's.
3, F/limb Globe, 21:07 33sec's.
4, F/Ansae, 21:08 55sec's.*
* I was uncertain as to when the very edge of F/Ansae had disappeared, due
to the low magnification and the thin cloud.
21:13, totally overcast, with dense cloud. Moonlight illuminating some cloud
edges where they are merging.
21:49 to 22:06, Sky totally overcast, reappearance event not seen.
REPORT FROM MIKE FEIST ( taken from the Newsletter
of The Foredown Astronomy Group, BRIGHTON.
The sky had patches
of very thin cloud as the Moon rose, but this did not interfere with optical
observations of the occultation, although naked-eye viewing was very difficult
or impossible. I had decided to view from my garden, and intended to use my
60mm refractor (X12). I began to make sketches of the positions of the Moon
and Saturn at 7.10pm. Later, a friend, George Hurrion, called to say he would
bring round his 6" reflector.
Despite the thin cloud, Saturn was beautifully shown in the reflector and
some belt-line detail was visible on the globe of the planet. Most of my observations
were made with my small refractor although, as the planet started to disappear
behind the limb of the Moon, George, my wife Sandra and myself, quickly grabbed
a view in the larger telescope.
It was really spectacular to see the Moon sweeping over the rings of Saturn.
The planet was half-gone at three minutes past nine and completely gone in
another minute. There was now a wait of an hour and time for a tea-break!
Saturn had disappeared at the bright limb, but would reappear, perhaps more
spectacularly, from behind the dark, hidden edge. It did so, just after ten
o' clock when the planet appeared not far from the southern edge of Mare Crisium.
This lunar "sea" had almost disappeared into the darkness of the
long lunar night and looked like a "bite" out of the terminator.
The moon was now much higherin the sky and conditions had improved considerably.
I continued to follow Saturn as it pulled away from the Moon using my telescope.
Mike Feist's report in PDF format
REPORT FROM PETER CRAVEN
Last night I observed
the first stage of the lunar occultation of the planet Saturn. I observed
the disappearance but failed to see the reappearance.
Here is the result:
1st contact. Disappearance of rings : 21.28 : 15.6 UTC 2001,11.03
2nd contact. Last sighting of rings: 21.29 : 45.3 UTC 2001.11.03
I was using a 80mm OG. Focal length: 400mm with an eyepiece magnification
of X20.
I suppose I need more magnification to do a more precise measurement of the
rings and planet together.
It was a crystal clear night, I've never seen so clear a distinction between
the rings and the planet before. It was a joy to see !
Latitude : 60d. 20' 40" N
Longitude : 24d. 17' 50 E
Paul lives at Kivipellonpolku in Finland.
Naked-eye appearance of the Moon and Saturn before the occultation
