2024 March

The first observation of this apparition was made by Trevor Barry (408mm Newtonian) on Mar 20 from Australia using an IR filter (>685nm) filter. This observation was made under difficult conditions (planet at a very low altitude and tthe sun just coming over the horizon). However the NEB was revealed plus a bright Equatorial Zone. The low inclination of the rings with respect to the Earth (~ 4.8 degrees) was also shown. A similar observation was made on Mar 27 when the Cassini Division was just resolved in each ansae.

2024 April
Observations were made by Trevor Barry on April 9, 15 and 22 and by Andy Casely (C14) from Australia on April 11.
Trevor’s images were again made with the IR (>685 nm filter) plus a methane band (889nm) filter on April 15. Andy’s images were made with a R filter and RGB.

The NEB was the most prominent belt with another darker belt at mid temperate latitudes. A fainter SEB was also visible. Both NEB and SEB were visible in the methane image. The EZ was bright with a band in the northern EZ. The ring shadow was projected just south of where the rings crossed the disk.The Cassini Division was visible in both ansae in the RGB image.

Trevor’s images taken on A;pril 15, revealed a spot at a latitude of approximately -55 degrees. A similar object was observed during the previous apparition.

2024 May

During this month, observations were made by Trevor Barry on May 12, 25 and 25, and Andy Casely on May 21.

Trevor used IR (>685nm), methane (889nm) and RGB filters whereas Andy used RGB and IR (>685 filters).
The narrow rings are shown with the Cassini Division just resolved at the extremities of each ring. The ring shadow onto the globe was projected onto the southern EZ. Both major belts (i.e. the NEB and SEB) were easily visible; with the NEB showing a warmer tone than the SEB. An EB was visible in the northern EZ.
Some belt and zone detail was resolved in the methane images and the rings also appeared bright.

On May 12, Trevor recorded a transit of Tethys and its shadow; with the shadow easier to detect.
The long lived Anti Cyclonic Vortex (AV) originated in the Great Storm of 2010/2011 and was still visible during the last apparition. On May 25, this was detected again by Trevor and subsequently on May 26 in IR images.
Trevor also detected a light oval on May 25 at high southern latitudes. This may be identical to a similar oval detected during the last apparition.

2024 June

This month, observations have been received from Trevor Barry on June 6, 1, 22 and 26, Andy Casely on June 23, Mike Hood (USA) with Stephen Ehrhart, June 9, Chris Dole (UK) June 23, Efrain Morales (Puerto Rico) on June 18, Luigi Morrone (Italy) on June 6, 18 and 29, Peter Tickner (UK) June 2, 6 , 9, 25 and 29, Jim Tomney (USA) on June and 21.

The NEB is still the darkest belt with a warm colour. Other areas of the planet appear colder in tome with a bluish or grey hue. The shadow of the rings onto the planet is projected onto the southern EZ. Ring detail such as the Cassini Division is difficult to resolve due to the low inclination of the rings.

On June 6, 22 and 26, Trevor again recorded the AV and a large amount of fine detail on June 22. On June 2, Trevor also recorded a transit of Dione and its shadow.

2024 July

This month, observations have been received from Trevor Barry on July 4, 9 and 12, Michael Buechner (Germany) July 21, Mike Hood July 12, Luigi Morrone on July 16 and 19, Dean Norris (USA) on July 16, Mattia Piccoli (Italy) 16 Jul, Gregory T Shanos (USA) July 16 . Peter Tickner (UK) on July 14, 15 and 20, and Anthony Wesley (Australia) on July 8, 11 and 20.

The AV was imaged Trevor on July 4 and 12, and by Anthony on July 8. The motion of the AV so far during this apparition relative to System III is shown below.

Transits of some satellites have been observed ,Trevor captured a transit of Dione and its shadow on July 4. and Anthony captured a transit of Dione on 20. Luigi imaged a shadow transit of Rhea on July 16. (See below). Although Rhea itself was in transit at the same time, it was not detected. However Tethys was detected in transit. Here it was projected against the ring shadow onto the globe (p. side). He also recorded Titan’s disk.

A series of Titan phenomena are occurring this year and predictions are shown via the section home page. Dean and Gregory were able to observe the transit of Titan on July 16as shown below. Gregory’s series of images (not all shown here) show the change in the appearance of Titan from a bright object to a dark object when in ingress and the reverse during egress.