Dark spots

Dark EZ and EB features

Although most of the features we regularly see within the Equatorial Zone are of the bright type,in some occasions it's possible to see darker structures.Red light images taken over the 2006/2007 apparition,showed sometimes dark patterns clearly move with the rotation of Saturn.

below: the with green marked column-shaped feature in the EZ-south was captured in images early in the apparition on Nov. 7,  2006.Left from the marked one,we see another,fainter column of the same type.The yellow mark shows a dark spot within the SEB,in the same region.(R 610nn filtered images):

Below; dark structures within the southern part of the EZ,found on Nov 30,  2006.These are comparable with those found on Nov 7.(R 610nm filter).

Red light images taken in very good seeing on April 10,  2007,show clearly a structured Equatorial Belt(EB)The appearance of this mid-disk belt looks very turbulent,what suggest interesting EZ activity.A nearer inspection of these images revealed that these EB-structured are indeed connected to a cloudy-shaped EZ-s(see chapter white spots):

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Dark spots and disturbances in the SEB/NEB

The SEB or NEB are definitely very active places were regularly different types of spots appear.Though,dark spots are not so often seen as the white type spots,like the ones which appear every year within the SEB-Zone.When dark spots appear,then they are mostly located at the edges of SEB or NEB.During the 2006/2007 apparition,small dark spots or condensations were registered several times,but almost every time along the southern edge of the SEB,the side bordering the STrZ.Also,they tend to appear in groups of mostly around 3 or 4 spots not far from each other.Another interesting fact is that all observations of this type of spots were in pre-opposition time(in Nov and Dec 2006).After the 2007 opposition,they were not registerd anymore.

Below: a group of dark spots along the south edge of the SEB,registered on Dec 11,  2005.The original images were taken using a color camera;PCVC750k,but later processed to monochrome for better contrast;

Below: very rare observation of a disturbance within the SEB on Nov. 2006,early in the apparition.The angular diameter of the planet was still at a minimum but the spot was visible very well.Longitude of the feature was L3=295.In the 3th image we see the dark spot just at the CM,but also a white SEB-Zone spot is visible in its neighbourhood.(R 610nm filter):

Below: special contrast processings of this disturbance.The pictures at the top are the same image with different contrast levels,while the pictures below were taken 5 min. later:

Below: small dark spots or condensations at the SEB-S as found on Nov. 30,  2006.Note its group appearance.(R 610nm filter):

Below: same type of spots,but now captured on Dec. 22,  2006.Again,they create a small group of spots.(R 610nm filter):

Higher latitude dark spots

Regularly,small dark spots are visible at higher latitudes,such as within the STeB or higher.They not seem to tend in groups,like the small spots which we sometimes see at the SEB-s.Though,their appearance and size seems comparable.

April 17;  2 remarkable dark spots are visible in the R 610nm images,they appear at the same longitude in the region between L3=2-3)in the STeB and the SSTeB: