http://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap061016.html

Too much Photoshop...and it's a little noisy.

There is no impact and it looks a bit like it's not from this planet. I would clone out the blue dot. :)

Composition could be improved too, so the outer rings weren't cut off at the edges.

I'm not one for composite images, they are too unbelievable and I suggest you send this to the critique section.

-Colour casts in the edges
-Flares show a lack of technical quality
-Central placement is very boring and this is no exception
-Rings cut off at the edges, remember to take a step back!
-Or take a step forward... Wideangle would have been a better choice here.
-Noise and blacked out areas
-Don't point your camera into the sun!

My advice, rotate horizontally, crop to a square, add 65% more contrast to get rid of flares, convert to black and white using the channel mixer, add lots of film grain, and it is an instant publish. :)

I love the fact we can see the first layers of Saturn atmosfere iluminated, this is a very important factor for scientifical analisis. NASA and JPL give us allways impressive images ! Love it ! I will love to take this one with one of my Mamiyas and Velvia :)

Forgot the principal, the title of topic : i vote NO, i prefer with a human element in one of thirds, as this is to "empty". Maybe NASA contracts a playmate and sit her in one of Saturn rings ... will be a superb photo ! ah ah ah :))))

The last thing we would see would be a gigantic white blob poised apocalyptically over the earth, with a Mercury-sized source cross 3 million kilometres to the left. If that isn't an argument against excessive photoshopping, I don't know what is.

Just think about that next time you carelessly clone out a fly. How would you feel?

Hi NASA: I'm with Rui here that this is indeed a lovely capture, however, lacking 'something'.
The central composition does not worry me, however, maybe a bit more sharpness is indicated.
I guess that the title choice ' In the shadow of Saturn' here might give the clue..
Given that Saturn can also be interpreted as the God of Agriculture, and with the artist's reference to shadows...
So...I think the image would have benefitted from some element emerging from behind the central sphere.
However, I do not agree wit Rui that a lady sitting in the sphere's will be quite appropriate. Rather, given the significance
of what Saturn means, maybe some goats emerging from that aspect could have worked. Two goats, as this subject is usually
regarded next to the largest in heaven. Maybe the one goat should be a bit smaller than the other. It will be great if the little goat
can reach up and support it's front legs on the sphere - just to add a vertical element to this landscape type compo..
Tones and general feel is good, and although this might require a re-shoot, I am quite positive about it's chances.
Alex's suggestion of a mono conversion is definitely worth trying - that will get rid of some color noise.
Good luck!

A fab and fantastical image as are a lot of the astro-photography images of things otherworldly however, I can't imagine a bloke with a D200 stuck to his eye, selecting ISO100, f/16 and a third of a second took this shot so I'd have to reject I'm afraid... ;-)

JP

Agree.....!!

YES, for sure.....!!

Amazing images from NASA everytime. Not their best, and too much sience in this one :-)

But IMO still very beautiful, and VERY difficult make :-)

What about this one... http://images.astronet.ru/pubd/2008/03/11/0001226630/M104b_peris2048.jpg ??

AMAZING if you ask me :-)

/Wulff

Yeah, amazing. I never think in publish here in 1X, because the astrophotography taken with amateur equipment is not possible to compare to this images from NASA, but i love to do some astrophotography. I have a Newtonian 150/750mm telescope with adaptor for EOS and 5 oculars, from 4 to 30mm and a EQ5 mounting. But it´s very difficult to take photos in my area, i must make at least 100 Km to find a non light and atmospheric poluted place, like in the mountains, and my telescope and all stuff is almost 80 Kg. Also it must happen in a non wind, non cloudy, no moonlight, no termic turbulence no bla bla bla to have nice results. I almost give up !!! :)

By the way ... see this : http://photo.net/photos/HAC911 :)

This guy for shure lives in a desert or in a top of a high mountain