THE GRS !!

[Tigaroo]

So after 13 years of observing ...albeit intermittently , amateurishly ....finally saw the GRS for the first time last night, thanks to updating my ep's  ! Stunning , watched it for an hour , that's a massive bucket list item to cross off! I started to look when it should have been at meridian,  dissapointed at first when I couldn't see it ....kept trying with different ep's , 2x Barlow , different filters ...then I was puzzled when I was sure I could definitely see it...but it was on the far right ...confusion until I realised I hadn't accounted for BST so it was only just coming into view! It was almost at meridian when cloud cover ended play . Already looking forward to seeing it again ! Also captured a very fuzzy Saturn at midnight the previous evening low in the south east , excited for it becoming an evening planet before too long . 

[Stu]

Well done Tigaroo!!! It's a lovely sight and well worth trying to see. Hopefully you will get some more views whilst Jupiter is still well positioned. Try for a shadow transit too if you haven't already?

Stu

[Tigaroo]

It was right on the limit of seeing with my equipment last night but will be trying again for sure, would I be right in saying it actually takes time and patience for your eyes and brain to clarify what you are seeing? The 17mm ep with 2x Barlow seemed best magnification. This year has delivered the most stunning views of Jupiter I have ever seen  , lovely banding , difficult to get any significant detail , but think I'm getting best results possible with equipment and location .  Will try for a shadow transit too , are  there timetables for those somewhere?! 

Any pointers on combinations of ep's filters etc to give best results would be greatly appreciated . I was using my 8" Dob , but also have the 102mm cassegrain I could try? 

[John]

12 minutes ago, Tigaroo said:

.... would I be right in saying it actually takes time and patience for your eyes and brain to clarify what you are seeing?...

 

Absolutely correct

The more and longer that you study planets for, the more the subtle details gradually show themselves. Even a famous feature such as the GRS is hardly "in your face" when you are viewing the planet. After a while it does become easier to pick out as do the other features that are discussed such as festoons, barges and the like.

I find the Cartes du Ciel (freeware) planetarium software gives an accurate position of the GRS on the planets surface and you can quickly skip forward or backwards in time to see when it might come on to the disk or how long you have missed it by !

I've tried lots of different filters on Jupiter but I've not found one that delivers improvements without side effects that I'd rather do without. So I tend to observe the planet filterless.

Congratulations on your 1st clear sighting of the GRS

[cloudsweeper]

Well done - it should easier from now on!  It took me 2.25 years to crack the GRS, so after 13 years you must be really delighted and relieved!

Doug.

[Tigaroo]

Thanks John! I did find surprisingly that my moon filter helped to pull out a little more detail, the planet was very bright without but after spotting the spot ( see what i did there! ) I then reverted to no filter . I understand this is the best we will see Jupiter for a few years so making the most ! 

[Tigaroo]

I am literally over the moon cloudsweeper! Still buzzing 

[John]

5 minutes ago, Tigaroo said:

Thanks John! I did find surprisingly that my moon filter helped to pull out a little more detail, the planet was very bright without but after spotting the spot ( see what i did there! ) I then reverted to no filter . I understand this is the best we will see Jupiter for a few years so making the most ! 

As you observe it, your eye adjusts to the brightness and you start to pull out more detail. Observing Jupiter in twilight works really well too. It's features seem better defined and more contrasty with some light still in the sky.

 

[cloudsweeper]

2 minutes ago, Tigaroo said:

I am literally over the moon cloudsweeper! Still buzzing 

Yeah - I think of the sights I've enjoyed, the GRS emerging into view will stay with me most powerfully, since it was so darned elusive!

Doug.

[Tigaroo]

2 minutes ago, cloudsweeper said:

Yeah - I think of the sights I've enjoyed, the GRS emerging into view will stay with me most powerfully, since it was so darned elusive!

Doug.

Exactly that Doug! Because I'd forgotten to allow for BST I'd convinced myself I'd failed again and although I was happy still viewing such a glorious planet, i thought my brain was playing tricks on me as it started to appear in what I thought was the wrong place , but as the penny dropped there was just this huge EUREKA moment that I will never forget!  

[Stu]

37 minutes ago, Tigaroo said:

It was right on the limit of seeing with my equipment last night but will be trying again for sure, would I be right in saying it actually takes time and patience for your eyes and brain to clarify what you are seeing? The 17mm ep with 2x Barlow seemed best magnification. This year has delivered the most stunning views of Jupiter I have ever seen  , lovely banding , difficult to get any significant detail , but think I'm getting best results possible with equipment and location .  Will try for a shadow transit too , are  there timetables for those somewhere?! 

Any pointers on combinations of ep's filters etc to give best results would be greatly appreciated . I was using my 8" Dob , but also have the 102mm cassegrain I could try? 

Yep, as John says, that's exactly what happens. Your eye and brain seem to work together in a very clever way so you build up a picture of all the best moments of seeing over a period of time. Also, as you observe over the years you get to know what is there so it becomes easier to see.

I would expect the GRS to be fairly easy in an 8" Dob. Cooling and collimation are important for high power views so make sure these are covered off. You should see it with some colour, often orange or a brick red colour although everyone's eyes vary. Like John I generally observe it unfiltered, but sometimes use a Baader neodymium filter to cut the glare.

17mm with a x2 Barlow would give x142 assuming a 1200mm focal length which would be fine, anything up to x180 is generally good on Jupiter. So long as the Barlow is of decent quality then it will be fine, otherwise perhaps consider a specific eyepiece of 8 or 7mm?

There are many apps and programs around to show when GRS is visible, plus when shadow transits take place. If you have a smart phone then there are some good apps around. I use SkySafari which I think is brilliant. There is also an app called Jupiter moons which shows these events.

Stellarium is a great free program for PC and phone but beware sometimes the timing of GRS transits is not accurate on the PC version.

[Pondus]

Well done .

Your 8" dob is the best of Your Scopes for observing Jupiter (IMHO). Even though GRS and most certainly shadowtransits are visible well below 100x, Try 120x NeXT time, and some more if conditions allow.

Shadowtransits are quite easy to see cause of the high contrast between the black shadow and the Bright planet.

[chiltonstar]

Well done - a milestone!

Last night here there was some haze which made the GRS less obvious - you may sometimes find the same. Some nights it is blindingly obvious and quite brick red, others barely more orangey than the belt itself. Happy Jupiter watching!

Chris

 

[niallk]

Great stuff!  

It's so wonderful to see these things with your very own eyes isn't it?

[ronin]

Odd isn't it that considering the GRS is a massive weather storm on Jupiter and they can predict when it appears, why can that not be done for the weathr here ?

[Tigaroo]

29 minutes ago, Stu said:

 

I would expect the GRS to be fairly easy in an 8" Dob. Cooling and collimation are important for high power views so make sure these are covered off. You should see it with some colour, often orange or a brick red colour although everyone's eyes vary. Like John I generally observe it unfiltered, but sometimes use a Baader neodymium filter to cut the glare.

 

The scope was outside for an hour before use ,it was a little windy which caused some slight shake at times . Yes , I think it was easy with the Dob really, just that it took me by surprise , I've only just acquired some new ep's and Barlow , Celestron make, I think they're pretty good ? The spot was a good brick red ! To be honest it's the first time I've specifically looked for it and checked transit times ...although I've observed Jupiter many times...I've only had my Dob for 2.5 years and this was my first opportunity to try for it with new ep's , I did use the 8mm too which was on a par ! So pretty chuffed really! Unfortunately the cloud came whilst I was still juggling for best clarity , but achieved and learnt a lot in that session ! And ummm yes ,  I probably do need to check the collimation , back to the drawing board on that one! 

 

[Stu]

17 minutes ago, Tigaroo said:

The scope was outside for an hour before use ,it was a little windy which caused some slight shake at times . Yes , I think it was easy with the Dob really, just that it took me by surprise , I've only just acquired some new ep's and Barlow , Celestron make, I think they're pretty good ? The spot was a good brick red ! To be honest it's the first time I've specifically looked for it and checked transit times ...although I've observed Jupiter many times...I've only had my Dob for 2.5 years and this was my first opportunity to try for it with new ep's , I did use the 8mm too which was on a par ! So pretty chuffed really! Unfortunately the cloud came whilst I was still juggling for best clarity , but achieved and learnt a lot in that session ! And ummm yes ,  I probably do need to check the collimation , back to the drawing board on that one! 

 

Excellent! It sounds like you were underplaying how good it was

Keep at it, conditions vary a lot. Much of the time it's a bit meh, but every now and then the seeing plays ball just at the right time and the views are amazing!

There are some nice festoons on the opposite side to the GRS which are blue ish swirls dropping down from the northern belt into the equatorial zone, although in your case they would be going up as your view is upside down!

Looks like there is a GRS transit of the meridian at 8.53pm on Weds (17th) which would be good if you can pick it up that early, should be possible. There is a better one at 10.31pm on Friday (19th) and then on Saturday night from 7.20 until 9.40pm there is a shadow transit of Ganymede. You should be able to pick this up around 8.45pm whilst it is still light.

[Davey-T]

Congratulations on spotting it, just had a weekend away and showed some folk the GRS last night, had a couple of hours clear sky before it clouded over.

Only took the 152mm refractor so not really a planetary scope but got reasonable views using 6mm Ethos and 2 X Powermate.

Dave