A rare solar eclipse on Saturn, which will not happen again until 2038, was captured on camera by a 20-year-old astrophotographer from Shoreline, Washington. Using the Stellarium software to determine when Titan, Saturn’s largest moon, will throw a shadow on the planet’s surface, photographer Adam Smadi planned the shot days in advance and captured it on June 1. In order to allow the optics to cool to the outside temperature, Smadi set up his 9.25-inch telescope at around 1 a.m. PDT (08:00 UTC). This procedure aids in preventing air currents that could cause image blurring inside the telescope tube. Saturn was high enough above the horizon to start capturing pictures about 3:30 a.m. PDT (10:30 UTC).
He used a ZWO ASI662MC astrophotography camera with an infrared filter. He created a single image by sorting and combining hundreds of sharp frames from continuous video streams using software. Consequently, the faint dark shadow of Titan crosses Saturn’s pale surface. In the same view, three other moons—Dione, Tethys, and Enceladus—appear as minuscule dots near the rings. Adam Smadi initially shared the photos on his Instagram account. Some forum and social media users praised the image’s clarity and the effort that went into it.
