Touring the planets, sort of

[The Warthog]

Went out early and looked very hard for Mercury, but couldn't come up with it in the skyglow, and it may have dropped below the trees across the road anyway. Venus made a nice half circle with a little detail maybe in the cloudtops. Put the scope on Saturn next, and watched it for a while until it dropped into the leafy branches of the walnut tree behind my shed. It was clear and well-defined, but showing no detail, as it has gotten quite a bit smaller than it was earlier.

At this point, the only thing I could do was go inside and wait for Jupiter to clear the rooftop, so I watched the end of a 'Rosemary and Thyme' on American Public Television, followed by a Monty Python, and napped through the next presentation and went out at midnight to look at Jupiter.

The view of Jupiter was much better than it has been. It is a clear, cool night, about 18 degrees with no wind. The seeing seemed to be very good,a nd the transparency better than usual. I could clearly see the head of Scorpius, and Antares. The sky is still a slate blue, though, not a proper dark sky, even though astronomical twilight ended at 23.15. The moons in the scope were much sharper than previously, Io coming to a fine point, and the differences in the moons easy to see. I could see one of the equatorial belts pretty steadily, but still not much detail, although much better than the previous nights I've been out. I watched for about 45 minutes, trying different eps. I think I have to give the prize to my 9mm Ortho, although I could see the belt in all the eps I used.

The summer triangle is getting up in the sky after midnight, now. I'll put the Newt on the mount tomorrow, and try for the Dumbbell, and the ring.

[maroon bells]

Sounds like you are busy over there.

I haven't managed to get my scope out for about 2 months now due to clouds and sore throats and haze etc. I'm begining to accept that astronomy in England is an occassional part time hobby.

[Andrew]

Nice report WH. We've had a run of pretty clear nights down here over the last week, but with the light pollution, time of year, poor seeing, haze .............. Not good!

I can only dream about what Jupiter looks like - it has been pretty horrible from my location this year.

Still, they are starting to trial switching off the street lights at night. Maybe in a year or so even the summer will seem dark with less light pollution.

[geppetto]

Nice one WH

Been looking at Jupiter every time cloud has alowed

but yet to see any band detail this season.