Cassini Division - ???

Thanks for the info, lads. I definitely think that the seeing is NOT the problem; most nights I have viewed Saturn it has been dead clear and steady. Maybe it's the collimation... anyway, I'll be going out later on to have another go.

Wish me luck

anyway, I'll be going out later on to have another go.

Wish me luck

Good luck! It's getting very hazy out there from where I am!

Hi

You should be able to see it really but you may need to patiently look at it for a while for the casinni division to pop into view as the air steadies momentarily.

Try using different colour filters to bring out the detail of the rings.

What eyepiece are you using, have you tried using a barlow lense. How is your focus?

DB

Just finished some imaging tonight...the Cassini division was
plain as day here.
Very still air.
Pity the moon was so close.

Well, if you think its the collimation, then its pretty easy to determine if it is.
Bring the star near to the focus, so ytou see the doughnut shape is less then 1/8th of the field of view in size, this is better but more difficult in a high power eyepiece, try having the unfocussed star in the centre of the field of view then ask yourself the following.

1, is the central black disk centred in the doughnut shape,
then focus the star and see does the star flair off in any particular direction, like the tail of a comet.

If its doing any of the above 2, then the collimation is off, it is important that the scope has cooled down to ambient night time temperature.
In terms of steady skies with good seeing, paradoxically these are usually slightly hazy.
Nights that have excellent transparency are usually turbulent with poor seeing.

exact same reaction as all the above when i first saw Saturn! I only ever saw the cassini division twice so either:

1. There is rarely good seeing in Roscommon
2. My scope could do with better collomation.

I personally dont think my scope is well collomated,( im currently working on recitifying this), but its only a 6" also, so if i could see it, you should have no problem. look into checking the collomation of your scope. This is done by focusing on a bright star, in the centre of your eyepiece, and slewing your telescope out of focus both sides of the focus point. if the concentric rings are not perfectly symetrical, your collomation is off. the higher power piece you use the better. thats a poor description, and its also easier said than done when first starting off. best of luck