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Best Jupiter viewing EVER!

Adz

By Adz
in Observing - Planetary

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Adz

Adz

Posted
Posted

Hey all,

I thought I would share my session last night. It was by far the best viewing of Jupiter I have ever had! The most interesting thing? It was slightly cloudy... I am guessing this haze or cloud had helped reduce the surface brightness of Jupiter and allowed the contrast to really improve.

So many firsts for me. First time seeing a shadow on the planet! Turned out to be from Europa. First time see a moon track in front of the planet the whole way. First time seeing the red spot properly too.

Previously I had thought I was viewing the red spot quite often. I have learned that what I was seeing was one of two dark red patches in the other belt to the red dot. The red dot last night was a beautiful disc of yellow with a fine edge around it, leading to the rest of the belt.

I got my family out to view as they were equally as taken aback with the view as I was. It was sessions like last night that really make this all worthwhile! :)

Cheers,

Adam

PS. I wont doubt my 8" Dobsonian for anything, it continually seems to outperfom its price bracket and keep me star struck! Why did I ever consider getting rid of you baby...

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JB80

JB80

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I agree last night was night was my best viewing Jupiter too. I think it was a culmination of reasonable seeing, the fact the southern band had returned since I last saw Jupiter, clearly seeing the GRS properly for the first time and maybe more importantly getting a chance to use my hyperion zoom on Jupiter. It's amazing what a difference that makes over the skywatcher LET's. I'm really looking forward to some good viewing when it starts clearing the trees at a reasonable hour.

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JB80

JB80

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If I'm honest the PST was the reason I got the zoom but the selling point was the fact it would be better optically than anything else I owned and it is perfect for planetary and lunar(far better at least than what I had) it's awesome on the moon too.

But Jupiter was a good test, seeing it last night really got the juices flowing again for enjoying that planet.

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LeeB

LeeB

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Hi

Jupiter is a strange creature, i missed last night but for three nignts last week got prolonged views and while conditions seemed very similar, all three nights allowed different mags of between 140x at worst and up the 394x on the best night. On that night I had really good banding ( i counted 5 splits around the north temperate region which i have never seen before, i was that surprised I grabbed my son from indoors to check i was't seeing things. I have noticed that with a F4.8 scope a quick collimation star check pays dividends and also 2 hours of cooling.

Still I love jupiter great thread

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Nexus 6

Nexus 6

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agree regarding the dark areas on the Northern Eq Belt, very distinctive to me when observing it during the clear spell we have just had, as for the GRS... very difficult to observe, I found no obvious colour was unsure I was actually seeing anything where I expected it to be. :)

did not detract too much the fact that Jupiter is such a marvel to observe :(

good to read some of you have had a better view of it :)

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Adz

Adz

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Cheers guys, I had a similar situation with magnifications Lee. For the first time I managed to go up to 300x magnification (TV Plossl + x2 Barlow) and the image was still great so my collimation must have been spot on too. I tried for 400x magnification (BGO 6mm + 2x Barlow) but that was a little too much :)

Cooling is such a big part of good planetary viewing I have found. I am glad I don't have a super expensive scope that I would worry about leaving in the garden for a while.

Sometimes what we view, really isn't too far away from what the imagers are able to produce. Which is great, because in other objects like DSO's, the results are a lot better than visual.

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Adz

Adz

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Alan the ring gets decernably wider and from where I am (quite light polluted) it appeared to be a yellowy shaded disc. But others above have mentioned more of a salmon colour that I can also believe too.

This software can help you work out when the GRS is coming into view, as stellarium wont.

Jupiter 2.0

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michael.h.f.wilkinson

michael.h.f.wilkinson

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I have seen the GRS many times before, even when it was quite pale. Once you get your eye in, so to speak, it is not difficult, especially in an 8" scope (unless seeing is crud). I have only had a few hours worth of observing this year, so there is an about 50% chance of seeing it anyway.

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Charon

Charon

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I had a good session viewing Jupiter, watching Europa appearing from the far side was amazing. Due to atmosheric problems I could only use my 36mm but never mind it was still a great sight. Used my Williams Binoviewers for the first time last night only on the Moon mind but what an experience almost a 3D effect(well was to me)

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inspectapart

inspectapart

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Not tonight Josephine, it`s raining cats and elephants here in Newport Shrops.

I have a Vixen 102 s fluorite that I haven`t tried yet, and I`m hoping to see Jupiter for the first time with it. By all accounts the scope should perform brilliantly on planets and Jupiter is in prime position at the moment.

Although I`ve viewed Jupiter many times with my standard vixen 102m I`m hoping that the new scope will show more detail.

We`ll see next chance I get to use it!

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faulksy

faulksy

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I had a good session viewing Jupiter, watching Europa appearing from the far side was amazing. Due to atmosheric problems I could only use my 36mm but never mind it was still a great sight. Used my Williams Binoviewers for the first time last night only on the Moon mind but what an experience almost a 3D effect(well was to me)

glad you enjoyed your bino viewers have heard good things about them:)

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perrin6

perrin6

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Hi

( i counted 5 splits around the north temperate region which i have never seen before, i was that surprised I grabbed my son from indoors to check i was't seeing things.

Hope he wasn't in bed asleep at the time ! :)

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