Tonight Jupiter will appear to be "moonless".
http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/highlights/52543517.html
Dave Mitsky
Have a Look at Jupiter Tonight
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Tonight Jupiter will appear to be "moonless".
http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/highlights/52543517.html
Dave Mitsky
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Re: Have a Look at Jupiter Tonight
I started to observe Jupiter around 9:30 p.m. EDT (2:30 UT) with my wife's 6" f/8 Orion XT6 Dob and an 8-24mm Tele Vue zoom eyepiece. Europa and Ganymede were very close together to the east of the planet and Io was about the same distance to the west of Jupiter. Callisto had been occulted by Jupiter about three hours previously.
Here's the sequence of satellite events from the S & T page:
Wednesday, September 2, 2009
23:28 UT, Callisto enters occultation behind Jupiter.
Thursday, September 3, 2009
03:44 UT, Io enters occultation behind Jupiter.
04:00 UT, Europa begins transit of Jupiter.
04:46 UT, Ganymede begins transit of Jupiter.
04:56 UT, Europa's shadow begins to cross Jupiter.
06:32 UT, Io exits eclipse by Jupiter's shadow.
06:46 UT, Ganymede's shadow begins to cross Jupiter.
06:50 UT, Europa ends transit of Jupiter.
07:50 UT, Europa's shadow leaves Jupiter's disk.
08:24 UT, Ganymede ends transit of Jupiter.
08:44 UT, Callisto exits eclipse by Jupiter's shadow.
10:24 UT, Ganymede's shadow leaves Jupiter's disk.
You can keep track of things at http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/objects/javascript/jupiter#
Dave Mitsky
De gustibus non est disputandum.
Re: Have a Look at Jupiter Tonight
I watched Io go into occultation and Europa begin its transit. Europa remained visible for about 15 minutes before I lost it against the Jovian cloudtops.
The seeing is quite good tonight and 240x (5mm Tele Vue Nagler T6) worked rather well but I eventually dropped down to 200x (6mm TMB Planetary) for a bit crisper view.
I suppose I should have gone to the Astronomical Society of Harrisburg's Naylor Observatory tonight to watch the events transpire through our 17" f/15 classical Cassegrain after all. If the Moon hadn't been so close to Full Moon, I would have.
Jupiter is now moonless. Ganymede began its transit about an hour ago. Unfortunately, some high clouds had wafted in and my views of the start of the transit were diminished somewhat.
Europa's shadow transit is underway. The double shadow transit begins at 2:46 a.m. EDT (6:46 UT), according to the S & T web page. (The RASC Observer's Handbook lists the time in two different places as 6:42 and 6:43 UT. In the magazine, S & T gives the time as 6:42 UT.)
Dave Mitsky
De gustibus non est disputandum.
Re: Have a Look at Jupiter Tonight
Io reappeared from eclipse not too long ago. Watching the Galilean satellites disappear into eclipse and reappear from eclipse is one of my favorite aspects of observing Jupiter.
Dave Mitsky
De gustibus non est disputandum.
Re: Have a Look at Jupiter Tonight
I closed up shop about 20 minutes ago. Jupiter had two satellites and two shadows, as Europa had cleared Jupiter's disk and Ganymede's shadow transit had begun.
It's been quite a good night for Jupiter watchers.
Dave Mitsky
De gustibus non est disputandum.
Re: Have a Look at Jupiter Tonight
DaveM,
I observed this event from the driveway with the 12.5" JMI NGT and a 8mm Ethos and B+W FLD filter. Began observing about 11:30PM and packed up at 2:15AM.
I was able to catch Ganymede as it crossed the limb as Jupiter became "Moonless": it was an amazing sight to see Ganymede float above the cloud tops of Jove, one of the darker bands fortuitously provided the needed contrast!
It was only after watching this for a while that I checked the S&T web site and confirmed Ganymede was passing between my eye and Jupiter. That was really cool to see! Shortly thereafter the clouds started to roll in and while I managed to catch the begining Europa's shadow transit, I didn't have the stamina to wait up for Ganymede's shadow transit.
Hope others had the pleasure!
Gastronaut
Inside: looking down and looking up; outside only UP! Observe Galaxies and Eat More Fiber and always have an extra Star Diagonal handy!
Re: Have a Look at Jupiter Tonight
Yes, Ganymede was unusually prominent as it transited Jupiter this morning. It was a real treat to be able see Ganymede's disk, Europa's shadow, and later on Ganymede's shadow.
Dave Mitsky
De gustibus non est disputandum.
Re: Have a Look at Jupiter Tonight
Dave...
You weren't alone.
I was out with the 6" Antares from 12:15 till 1:15 (when I was clouded out).
Observed the start of Ganymede's transit and the start of Europa's shadow transit. Very cool event. Thanks for the reminder...
LouB
Re: Have a Look at Jupiter Tonight
Unfortunately here in Wilmington I got clouded out at 11:45 pm, just as Io began its occultation and before Ganymede and Europa began their transits. But there were also interesting events earlier in the evening. Did anyone catch the GRS which was on the CM at 9:45 pm? In my Mewlon 250 at 188x with 80A filter, it seemed unusually dark and clearly delineated on the north edge by a white buffer zone. Most remarkable, at nearly the same longitude there was a prominent festoon extending from the south edge of the NEB into the EZ then forming a huge loop back up to the NEB. Truly a banner night for Jupiter watching.
Lionel