Hard Core Astronomist

[kf4anm]

Here is a diversion from the normal motorcycle and political fare.

Anyone into astronomy as a hobby. Looking for an answer to a question without having to go through the trouble of registering and posting on a star forum.

This photo was taken 9-23-08 on the Alabama Gulf coast looking East at sunrise about 6:30 - 6:45 Central time. The camera is an Olympus E510 dslr with a 100mm Zoom. Setting -.3 below 4.5 No photoshop editing only a crop and size.

When I showed the print to my friend who is an amateur telescope junky he was convinced I caught the planted Saturn as it was setting while the Sun was Rising. He checked the star charts and on that date they were awfully close. Look at the upper left quadrant of the sun.
There is a spot that is washed out that has the shape. The rings appear. Being that low on the horizon the atmosphere would magnify it a little. Any ideas or opinions.

[CatatonicBug]

How would that be even remotely possible?? Saturn is NEVER between the Sun and the Earth. There is no way, unless there is some kind of reflection happening, that you would see Saturn in front of the Sun.

[randy]

It must be Uranus

[CatatonicBug]

Are there rings around Uranus?? :P

[planedick]

Kind of like

Those Jesus pics on everything from toast to trees...... LOL

[HobbyMan]

I don't know if it is Saturn or not but it sure is a really good picture

[chrisso]

Its obviously a UFO.

[kf4anm]

no no not the jesus photo. thats just a simple planet. now this, this is the jesus photo.

[chrisso]

No No its Aliens I tells ya...watch out ,they be lookin for some anal probing

[Incubus]

Might want to check out somebody's rings....

Patrick

[mstic2000]

1. When the moon or any other object appears in front of the sun it shows up as a dark area.

2. Saturn's orbit does not cross between the sun and the earth.

What I suspect you captured was a massive solar flare or a more distant cloud magnified by the sun?

I would check to see if there were any solar flares reported for that date and time.

[mstic2000]

Originally posted by kf4anm
no no not the jesus photo. thats just a simple planet. now this, this is the jesus photo.

OMG! That's not Jesus! That Timmy from southpark! LOL

Look at the feet! Dead giveaway!

[Korr]

It's not Timmy, that's Kenny! He died and went to heaven
But really though, it looks like clouds.

[webbcraft2150]

You guys are way off track. Thats not Jesus, its just Prom doing his levitating trick again.

[ClarkGriswald]

Hm Ive heard of this before, I dont know what it is called but there is something about the sun rising over water sometimes it happens here when the sun sets in the west over lake michigan.. before the sun is up over the horizen it can reflect off the water and up into the sky (on clouds, moisture whatever) so you see a fake sun and then the real one comes up ( or goes down)>. Not sure if that is one of these but Ive heard of them before.