Saturn transits in front of M1 (Crab Nebula)

The following images were made using a Starlight HX516 CCD Camera and a 13"f4 Newtonian telescope. Observing location was Fremont, California.
 

2003 Jan. 5, 5:20UT

On this day the two objects were totally super imposed. It is very difficult to separate the two given the immense brightness difference.

Exposures made 2003 Jan. 5, 5:30UT, 28 x 10sec. to allow both saturn and M1 to be within the dynamic range of CCD.
 
Histogramm adjusted for Saturn
Click on image for full size version		 Histogramm adjusted for average 
brightness		 Histogramm adjusted to attempt to bring out M1

 
A later exposure of Saturn was subtracted from the image to show structure from M1.
A few filaments from M1 are visible.
Click on image for full size version		 Reference image from digitized POSS

 
Processed image kindly provided by Bart Declercq.
A few filaments from M1 are visible.
Click on image for full size version		 Reference image by Bart Declercq using M1 image from digitized POSS

 

A composit image I made to illustrate
the event. (1400x1200 Pixel!)

2003 Jan. 8, 4:45UT

Another chance was a few days later. Saturn had already moved quite a bit from the Crab. Unfortunately the distance was so large that both did no longer fit fully into the CCD chip size.

Exposures made 2003 Jan. 8, 4:45UT, 16 x 10sec. to allow both saturn and M1 to be within the dynamic range of CCD.
 
 
Histogramm adjusted for Saturn
Click on image for full size version		 Histogramm adjusted for average 
brightness		 Histogramm adjusted to attempt to bring out M1

Click on thumbnails to see full size picture.
Images and processing Gert Gottschalk, drgert1@yahoo.com

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