An Evening with Jupiter

[kerrylewis]

I have just spent one of my most enjoyable evenings ever in the hobby watching the slow dance of Jupiter's moons with my new Vixen acquisition. 

First Callisto slowly approached the top (as seen through the refractor) of the planet and crossed onto the disc, at first bright but then dark against the planet. Callisto is the moon that appears dark against the bright disc and not the other way around. It's almost like a shadow but not so black and and bullet hole like. At times it was difficult to see, small and not so clear as a shadow, as it very slowly crossed the top of the disc. Io then provided a slight diversion as it appeared from eclipse heading in the opposite direction. 'At first just ghostly then a whiter shade of pale' as it emerged from the planet's shadow and quickly grew brighter.

Another diversion was a bright white elongated spot in the northern belt which gradually approached the centre of the disc; at times clear and bright and then blurring as the seeing wobbled, but very obvious

Then Callisto's shadow reached the planet. Like a tiny nick in its side at first and then resolving into the familiar black bullet hole. It looked larger than the actual moon and much sharper. Finally, as its shadow edged across the planet the moon itself left the disc. I lost it for a while as it approached the edge (the opposite of the brighter moons which get easier to see as they cross the limb darkened area) but then it started to appear as a pimple on the edge gradually pulling itself clear until it floated separate again leaving its shadow to continue its crossing and time for me to get back in the warm with a glass of wine.

Simply wonderful views with the Vixen gave me a real visceral feeling of pleasure at times as I watched all this. I just love these events on Jupiter - a real thrill. 

[Marki]

Nice one! Just come in from watching this myself (in my TAL 125mm achro) - best night I've had with Jupiter for ages :).

[bish]

Nice report. I think Jupiter over the last few weeks has been the best of seen of it - or at least in a long while.

[tony4563]

Callisto appearing from behind Jupiter was awesome tonight.

Really enjoyed the viewing tonight

[Pondus]

Great report, didnt know that Callisto appear darker than the others when on disc.

Cloudy, foggy, windy here at the shores of the North sea, luckily I had a great Jupiter session last night.

 

Rune

[laudropb]

Very nice report. I found Callisto's transit to be one of the best I've seen, but unfortunately the clouds rolled in just before the shadow was due to appear. Also had very nice views of festoons.

[John]

Excellent report with your big new-to-you Vixen Kerry

Jupiter and the Moon were really excellent tonight.

[Davesellars]

Nice one!  Just finished packing up after spending 2 hours observing Jupiter.  Lovely to see the Callisto transit and at the end the seeing was good enough for 250x magnification.  Amazing detail of the belts with the C8.

[Davey-T]

Pleased for you Kerry, impulse buys are the best, bit of a wash out here, cloud then fog.

Dave

[Chris Wales]

Wonderful post....I'm off out inspired! :-)

Thanks.

Chris

[Special K]

On 17 March 2016 at 22:42, bish said:

Nice report. I think Jupiter over the last few weeks has been the best of seen of it - or at least in a long while.

Totally agree with this, though I have recently been upgraded to 6"!  Seriously though, the double shadow transit a week or two ago was legendary.  

Very nice report, Kerry, and I also didn't know that Calisto appears dark against Jupiter.  Will look out for that next time.