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GRS on view tonight.....

Stu

By Stu
in Observing - Planetary

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Stu

Stu

Posted
Posted

..... Well in the early hours of the morning anyway. Looks like it transits the meridian at 2.24am. My scope is out and the forecast and satellite views look promising so if I can drag myself out of bed I'll give it a go!!

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digital_davem

digital_davem

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Got my first extended look at Jupiter from the back garden.  Saw Io pop out from behind Jupiter. Cool!  Couldn't make out the spot, though. Don't know if it was just inexperience.

I have a new (used) mount: Vixen Porta II. It's amazing compared to my 3 way camera head: friction locked (no clamps), so you just push it. Very smooth! And love the slow motion.  Not so impressed with the supplied tripod. It looks big and impressive but it is so light weight it is wobblier than my Manfrotto legs. Going to have to improve it or maybe swap head over to the manfrotto.  Perhaps still have a set of EQ6 legs in my future. 

 

 

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Roy Challen

Roy Challen

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Hi Dave, ahh so you finally got a better mount! I'm not sure what the Vixen tripod legs are like, but if they're the same as the Skywatcher ally legs then you can fill them with sand or, as I did with mine when I had them, use concrete for the lower sections and silicone sealer for the uppers... Or go with the EQ6 legs!

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digital_davem

digital_davem

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4 minutes ago, Roy Challen said:

Hi Dave, ahh so you finally got a better mount! I'm not sure what the Vixen tripod legs are like, but if they're the same as the Skywatcher ally legs then you can fill them with sand or, as I did with mine when I had them, use concrete for the lower sections and silicone sealer for the uppers... Or go with the EQ6 legs!

Just saw a Porta on offer on Ebay for half the price of a Skytee and including legs in "as new" condition. Couldn't resist. The mount works brilliantly. It's much bigger in the flesh that it looks in pictures.

The legs are large surveyor style but designed primarily for low weight and portability and are made from extremely thin aluminium box section that isn't particularly strong.  The result is it bounces around a bit more than my manfrotto/pier arrangement.  But there are clearly things that can be done. For example, not extending the middle bit and keeping it low and moving my home made pier over from the manfrotto to provide the height, sand as you suggest, and perhaps as each leg is made of three parts, extra clamping.  People also remove the legs and replace them with wooden ones. Or get a different 2" leg tripod at some point. 

Couldn't fault the head itself though, it works great, transforms the viewing experience because it points where I want it to go and no clamps needed. Amazingly even though the saddle is vixen dovetail and my tube rings are bolted to an arca-swiss plate, the arca-swiss attaches just fine, despite being the wrong size and shape! I no longer need the heath robinson arca clamp connected to manfrotto plate arrangement either which removes two potential weak points.

 

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Stu

Stu

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1 hour ago, digital_davem said:

Got my first extended look at Jupiter from the back garden.  Saw Io pop out from behind Jupiter. Cool!  Couldn't make out the spot, though. Don't know if it was just inexperience.

I have a new (used) mount: Vixen Porta II. It's amazing compared to my 3 way camera head: friction locked (no clamps), so you just push it. Very smooth! And love the slow motion.  Not so impressed with the supplied tripod. It looks big and impressive but it is so light weight it is wobblier than my Manfrotto legs. Going to have to improve it or maybe swap head over to the manfrotto.  Perhaps still have a set of EQ6 legs in my future. 

 

 

What time were you out Dave? GRS was centre stage at 2.30am in the early hours of Saturday morning. Was quite obvious even though the seeing was poor

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digital_davem

digital_davem

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1 hour ago, Stu said:

What time were you out Dave? GRS was centre stage at 2.30am in the early hours of Saturday morning. Was quite obvious even though the seeing was poor

Earlier. I was tracking the view using ocular plugin and I waited up until it was clearly visible in the sim at the limb (maybe about 1.30am ish) but couldn't see it at the eyepiece.  It sits over the house in my north facing garden,  probably doesn't help. 

Couldn't stay up any longer...

Saw Io peak out from behind though

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dweller25

dweller25

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I observed Jupiter on the 13th of January at 4:55UT to watch Io and it's shadow transiting.

The GRS was also visible and I also noticed as Stu did that it looked darker then last year. There was a lot of disruption in the SEB belt following the GRS and a couple of blue festoons off the NEB.

Had a look at Mars too and whilst small (even at x250) I saw a definite phase, a brighter (not white) polar cap and a dark surface marking.

More to come from both :icon_biggrin: .................

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John

John

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Great reports folks !

I've not had a "proper" session on Jupiter yet this year. Looking forward to it immensely now I've read your reports. The GRS and it's immediate surroundings have been subject to some really noticable changes over the years that I have been observing the planet. There is always something interesting to look out for !

 

 

 

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John

John

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4 hours ago, John said:

The forecast here is not bad for tonight as well so I've put the ED120 out to cool :icon_biggrin:

Pah ! - turned into an evening of cloud and light drizzle just after I posted this. Should have kept quiet :rolleyes2:

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cotterless45

cotterless45

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Jupiter looked very fine this morning. The GRS looked very dark and angry, seeing wasn't spectacular, very intermittent. The GRS does not appear to be sitting in a pit , but amost part of the southern belt.

Some details of a northern barge and ragged belt edges ( bit like my car pre mot). Callisto then popped up from the pole. To add to the enjoyment of a frosty moon blasted night. Here's to opposition in March !

Nick.

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