A 15-year-old boy, from Seaford, East Sussex, captured an awesome
picture of Saturn using a personal telescope in his back garden that many
experienced astrophysicists would be proud of. Marcus Reed was able to take
this perfect picture of the Saturn, as well as its entire rings, using a
reflector telescope of diameter 102mm. According to Marcus Reed, he stayed up
till 4 am, using an iPhone app called Sky Guide to pinpoint the Saturn in the
sky.
He said: “I took the picture at four in the morning. I turned on the app and saw that Saturn was evident, so straight away I put my slippers on and ran downstairs, setting up my telescope on the back lawn in my pajamas. I was pleasantly amazed when I looked back and saw I got such a clear picture - Saturn is my favorite planet. 'I have been interested in astronomy and photography for a long time, and I really enjoy it - I use my telescope every night when it's clear.”
The Gas Giant (Saturn) is the sixth planet from in the Solar
System and also the second largest in the solar system. Saturn has been
observed by astrophysicists in the night's sky since early times.
Tom Kerss, an astrophysicist at the Royal Observatory in
Greenwich, said: “Marcus has done an amazing job at capturing such a clear view
of Saturn we might see with our eyes using a good beginner’s telescope.
The familiar rings are clearly seen surrounding the Saturn,
which as of this month is rising before the Sun.
Currently one of Saturn’s poles appears to be covered by its
rings, which are more inclined from our view, but in 7 years or so Saturn will
once again look just like Marcus has captured it here.”