Daily Image
31-05-2010
Saturn 'spokes' animation
| Submitter: | Rik ter Horst |
| Description: | Nowadays, amateur astronomers are capable of making high resolution images of the Moon and the planets at the theoretical (diffraction) limit of their instruments. These images sometimes show details as small as 0.25 " rivalling the sharpest images obtained with much larger professional ground-based telescopes. With only moderate tools, Emil Kraaikamp captures images of the planets with incredible detail. Using a technique called "lucky imaging" and his own software, he recently even succeeded in making visible the 'spokes' in the ring system of Saturn, which were discovered by Pioneer 11 in 1979. The animation above, with a time-span of almost two hours, has been made using a 250 mm Newton telescope with a Modified DK21AU04 camera (R-RGB). The spokes are visible at the right side of the ring system. He also captured fine surface details within the belt structure of Saturn. At least one of Saturn's moons can be seen on the left. These results are truly remarkable and we're happy that Emil is willing to tell us a bit more about his technique and software. Currently, Emil is doing his Master Artificial Intelligence at the RUG. His presentation will be on June 1st, in the ASTRON Colloquium room, at 15:30h. Everyone is welcome. |
| Copyright: | Emil Kraaikamp |
| Tweet |  |