I resolved to make the most of the excellent seeing and wait for Saturn. The declinations of the two planets are currently similar so I knew from the right ascensions that the giant planet would be in roughly the same position in the sky as Mars was then, six and a half hours later. I watched a film indoors to pass the time and by 00.30 GMT I was back behind the telescope. The telescope and mount were now sopping wet but like earlier I had taken the precaution to put a bag over the eyepiece and objective.

With the naked eye Saturn looks like a bright, yellowish star of magnitude +0.2 resembling the northern star Capella in brightness and colour although unlike the star it shines with a steady light. The planet is currently in the constellation Cancer.

For Saturn I find my 12.5m/m eyepiece the most suitable. When I took my first look through the telescope, I knew the six hour wait had been worthwhile. The rings were noticeably narrower than at the last apparition but Encke's division was still visible. Cassini's division was prominent and black. The SEB was double and I repeatedly glimpsed the STB and SSTB as well. For the first time ever I saw the shadow of the ring as a fine black line on the planet's globe (under the ring) as well as the more obvious black shadow of the globe on the rings. Of the planet's moons, only Titan was obvious. Indeed at high powers in seeing such as tonight, the other satellites become very elusive. As with Mars earlier, I finished my drawing of Saturn indoors. As always, I leave the instrument outside to check my drawing. It was now around 02.00 GMT on the 21st and the moisture on the outside of the telescope was frozen. I was cold and tired and it was time to pack up for the night. But my efforts had borne fruit which made it worthwhile.

TILT -17.5           Saturn

DATE 21 November        U.T 0.50