We recently pic'd Saturn, then recalled another imaging session (from about 26 months before. I wanted to compare images, then create a composite. The 2-Saturn composite image shows Saturn on 9/2/2021 and 11/22/2023. The orientations differ, and the newer Saturn's set of rings angle narrower than the rings of the earlier Saturn. During the image creation process, I had became curious about when Saturn's rings might "flatten", maybe disappear from view.
I thought about the steps I used in my process. Having used GIMP recently, and PaintShopPro earlier, I decided to make a slide show of the steps.
Some Saturn Resources
To acquaint myself with my orb target, I ran across a few basic resources. NASA's "Saturn: Facts" provides good overview. EarthHOW's "7 Planet Saturn Facts: Beyond its Signature Rings [Infographic]" includes more details and tantalizing images, especially the infograph. "How long does it take Saturn to orbit the Sun?" states "approximately 29.46 Earth years, or 10,755.7 Earth days, to complete one orbit around the Sun". This site provides a nice list of q/a's. Saturn has an unusual feature besides its rings: NASA's "Saturn’s Strange Hexagon" explains "a bizarre six-sided hexagon feature encircling the entire north pole".
"Saturn’s Rings Will Temporarily Disappear From View in 2025" (published November 13, 2023) explained the rings' next "disappearing act".
In 2025, Saturn’s rings will be invisible from Earth for several months. ... Saturn’s rings are so thin that they seemingly vanish when viewed edge-on. And as Earth and Saturn travel around the sun on their respective orbital paths, our planet reaches this particular vantage point like clockwork, roughly every 13 to 16 years. ... the rings will disappear from sight in March 2025.
The following image represents three Saturn images, the existing duo, and a phantom representation for March 2025. The last image indicates planet tilt and edge-on rings. FWIW, Saturn is not in the night sky around that time frame, and the sun's angular alignment to Saturn WRT Earth's position endangers eyesight.
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