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Am I doing Jupiter Wrong?

Mowbs

By Mowbs
in Getting Started With Observing

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Charic

Charic

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Posted

(Apologies for hi-jacking the thread)

No problem at all, I've got my scope set up and tracking Jupiter just now so it's interesting for me too. I've noticed already tonight that sometimes it looks like detail on Jupiter is flashing on and off. There's obviously a lot of movement in the atmosphere but I'm going to get myself comfy and spend the night on it.

Mowbs...... Its your thread ?

Edit. Ok  Now I see ! ( jason.p ) 

Double Edit* Ive just come in from viewing Jupiter and M31 with Binoculars. Unfortunately, the Moon is too bright, however, I'm used to my 7x50's had them for Years, but everything thing looks like dancing fireflies through the 15x70's? Just a little too tired to pop the Skyliner out, especially with the Moon in my zenith. I hope your session on Jupiter turns out ok.

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Mowbs

Mowbs

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Yeah, I tried (and failed) to quote just that line.

But on the Jupiter thing, I've just had the best views yet, by quite a bit. I've been in and out of the house so my eyes haven't had much chance to get adapted yet. I've just got a few bits to do and then I'll switch the house lights off and get myself right into it.

You'll hear my screams from Moray if it's clouded over by then Charic

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bingevader

bingevader

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2219 tonight.So you should be

ok.

I think Jason is correct with his 20.30, the 10.29 was this morning.

Am right in assuming that UT is equivalent to GMT+00? According to my tab settings I'm on GMT+00, so the transit time is 20.25hrs? Or am I missing something? (always a possibility!!)attachicon.gifScreenshot_2014-03-11-20-13-01.png

Yes, UT is the same as GMT.

The seeing seems so variable at the moment here, it's a bit pot luck as to what will appear through the EP!

Cheers

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moffer

moffer

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While on the subject of Jupiter, how long does it take for the GRS to cross the face. I've got it down for 8.30 tonight. I presume that's when it first appears. I can't get out till after 9pm and am looking forward to having a go at it with my new 5mm BST.

(Apologies for hi-jacking the thread)

Best seen when on centre of disc, but If conditions are decent  you should be able to see it just fine for the best part of an hour each side of the central meridian.

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Charic

Charic

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Mowbs........just finished with the Binos. The 15x70's get me into M42 Great nebula in Orion, steady with the tripod, but the pinpoints of light from the stars are not that sharp from the optics? and I seem to have run out of adjustment with the right dioptre? The  7x50's take it all in, but not so much detail. Like I said earlier, if there was no Moon, tonight would be a good option for the Skyliner, and its still clear skies here.

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Charic

Charic

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Mowbs......Just in from using the Skyliner??  Not the best conditions as the scope hasn't had time to cool, and perched in my doorway overlooking the street lights at Orion. But Had to have a look. The Moon is good tonight, but have dropped down to the 32mm, Everything looking great without the thermals. neighbour arrived home, had a quick look, was  gob-smacked by the features on the moon, and his once in a lifetime  Moon transit over the surface of Jupiter. on now at 22:15 GMT

I'll be out Thursday night (13) weather permitting between 20:30 - 22:00 observing the GRS !

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Mowbs

Mowbs

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Mowbs......Just in from using the Skyliner??  Not the best conditions as the scope hasn't had time to cool, and perched in my doorway overlooking the street lights at Orion. But Had to have a look. The Moon is good tonight, but have dropped down to the 32mm, Everything looking great without the thermals. neighbour arrived home, had a quick look, was  gob-smacked by the features on the moon, and his once in a lifetime  Moon transit over the surface of Jupiter. on now at 22:15 GMT

I'll be out Thursday night (13) weather permitting between 20:30 - 22:00 observing the GRS !

Well that was certainly a worthwhile night for me, I could tell the seeing wasn't great but I still saw quite a bit more detail than I have previously. I think it was partly down to patience and time spent just looking at it, and partly willing more detail out of it. I couldn't make out the GRS no mater how hard I tried, I'm pretty sure that detail just wasn't there tonight. I saw the moon shadow transit though, I thought I had dirt on my lens to start with.

I also spent some time on the moon, there were times I was able to get some amazing detail. I took some quite impressive (to me anyway) photos with my iPhone at the eyepiece, I'll upload my best one tomorrow.

Thanks everyone with the help so far on this thread, I think I've learned quite a lot about viewing techniques tonight even if I haven't yet seen the detail I want from Jupiter, I'm sure that'll just make it all the more amazing when I do.

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lemonysam

lemonysam

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I couldn't make out the GRS no mater how hard I tried, I'm pretty sure that detail just wasn't there tonight. I saw the moon shadow transit though, I thought I had dirt on my lens to start with.

Keep on trying! It'll come, it helps to know where exactly on the disc you need to look and then just scan over it until you something catches. 

I could see the GRS and the shadow of Callisto last night* very clearly - and some evidence of festoons too - through my much more lowly scope (Explorer 130) so with time I'm sure you'll get great views. You obviously have the patience because trying to take snaps of the moon through the eyepiece with my phone drives me round the bend!

*We had very good seeing here in the NE to be fair.

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Grotemobile

Grotemobile

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I think Jason is correct with his 20.30, the 10.29 was this morning.

 

Yes, UT is the same as GMT.

 

The seeing seems so variable at the moment here, it's a bit pot luck as to what will appear through the EP!

 

Cheers

 

I put in the date in the wrong

format.Sorry about that.

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bingevader

bingevader

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No problem, I was glad for the heads up!

I wasn't planning on going out until later, but made the effort to get out sooner as I hadn't seen the GRS in a while. Well worth it from here, best seeing conditions I've had this year!

Cheers

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Mowbs

Mowbs

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Seeing hasn't been good tonight, Jupiter was back to how it's been most other days where I can only make out a disc with 2 dark bands. I'm not sure that was a good thing though, I've staked out where my observatory is going to go with some old fence posts and taken some measurements. Oh no!

I've packed everything away except for my scope, I'm going to go back out for a quick look at Saturn, I can see it through the trees just now but I think it'll need another half hour to be properly visible to me. I know it's not going to be the best of views tonight but I've only seen it once before briefly so I'm sure another peek won't hurt.

I'm starting to think a more sensible hobby would have taken less of my money and I would be in my bed by now.

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bingevader

bingevader

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A 200 Dob, when accurately collimated should give you acceptable results,attachicon.gifimage.jpg

Nick.

Hi Nick, vaguely on topic as it's still about Jupiter, but what's the setup on you OO?

Jupiter through my 8" 'scope is most definitely the other way up and angled in the opposite direction!

Do you just invert your sketches before they go into your notebook so that they are rotated accordingly?

I'm just curious as to what sketchers do.  :smiley:

I use an unlined book so if I were to sketch, it would go straight in. Without turning the book before sketching I'd end up will all my sketches inverted!  :grin:

Cheers

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StarSapling

StarSapling

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I've read in here that you need to look at Jupiter for some time to allow the eye to settle and pick up the detail.

Also read that you do not need (may have shouldn't use) a filter.

However if you have some filters, especially a ND then why not just try it.

In my humble opinion, patience at the eyepiece is the key to satisfying, visual observation of any celestial object, but especially the planets.  Also, I have found that on hazy nights or nights with alot of moonlight, a light yellow filter does seem to enhance the contrast on Jupiter.

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Mowbs

Mowbs

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But would you be having as much fun?

That wasn't actually what I wrote but the moderators must have changed it so not to cause offence, fair play to them - especially at that time of night.

It didn't really work with what it was changed to though

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