The Lunar Occultation of Saturn  February 20, 2002 starting around 7:15PM ending around 8:45PM.  Clouds dissipated around 7:15pm. 
Image of Saturn and limb of the moon.  Due to the dramatic difference in brightness the moon appears overexposed when the gain is sufficient for Saturn.  AstroVid 2000 video camera

The red line is the path of Saturn with respect to the Moon.  The Moon is occulting Saturn.  Although Saturn is moving within its own orbit around the Sun, the motion of the Moon around the Earth produces an apparent motion across the stellar background that is significantly greater than that of Saturn.   More to come...questions email rparker@pcs.k12.va.us 
Click on images for a larger version.  
saturn2b.jpg (37210 bytes)
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Wide--angle View showing the Moon, Saturn and Jupiter just after the occultation.   Prominent constellations are Orion and Taurus.
occult-ingress.jpg (40720 bytes)
Saturn & its moons just before ingress behind the dark limb of the Moon.
The moons may not be visible due to the dramatic differences in brightness.
occult-egress.jpg (83379 bytes)
Saturn just beginning to emerge from behind the bright limb of the Moon.
saturn1.jpg (101993 bytes)
The Saturnian system with the orbits of it's moons shown.
Graphics created with Starry Night Pro

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Hit Counter Tuesday, August 10, 2004  questions:  rparker@pcsb.net