Mercury and Saturn

Cooooool
Now that I look at DaveG's image again, I can see it !!
So this is real, you learn something new everyday.
I wonder can you see this effect visually through the scope?

In steady seeing and relatively high mag, I'd bet you can.

I was flicking back through some old astro books here and found some Voyager images of saturn.
In some, you can see the globe of saturn through the outer ring.
Its amazing what you miss when you're looking for something else.

I was flicking back through some old astro books here and found some Voyager images of saturn.
In some, you can see the globe of saturn through the outer ring.
Its amazing what you miss when you're looking for something else.

Don't forget, distance is the factor there. That gap is a couple hundred miles wide, and the Hubble picks it up perfectly from Earth. Dave Gradwell's fine image definitley shows the globe through the rings, no doubt about it, and I believe I am seeing the same in your photo Dave Lillis.

Aperture of the instrument in question coupled with viewing conditions...


...as well as cheating with the digital photography! (sorry Mike!)

Seanie.

cheating ??
oh boy, you've done it now :lol:

Dave,
NOW you know what I've to deal with up here! I've my hands full with him!!