A 20-year-old astrophotographer from Shoreline, Washington has photographed a rare solar eclipse on Saturn from his hometown, an event that will not be seen again until 2038. The photographer, Adam Smadi, planned the image days ahead and took the image on June 1, using the Stellarium software to pinpoint when Saturn's largest moon, Titan, would cast a shadow across the planet's surface.
Smadi set up his 9.25-inch telescope at about 1 a.m. PDT (08:00 UTC) so the optics could cool to the outdoor temperature. This step helps prevent air currents inside the telescope tube that can blur images. By 3:30 a.m. PDT (10:30 UTC), Saturn was high enough above the horizon to begin taking photos.
He used a ZWO ASI662MC astrophotography camera with an infrared filter. He took continuous video clips, then used software to sort and combine thousands of sharp frames into a single image.
The result shows Titan's small dark shadow crossing Saturn's pale surface. In the same view, three other moons, Dione, Tethys, and Enceladus, appear as tiny dots near the rings.
Adam Smadi initially shared the photos on his Instagram. Some viewers from forums and social media praised the image for its clarity and the effort behind it.