Jupiter: Oval BA

[niallk]

Hi,

Does anyone know of a site where transit times for Oval BA are listed? I haven't come across one.

I'd love to catch it - have many people been able to spot it?

Cheers

-Niall

[David Levi]

Hi Niall. I can't answer your question as a quick internet search has drawn a blank but I'm sure you did that anyway. Another reason that I wouldn't be able to answer it is that I don't have that much observing experience and this is the first time that I have heard of the Oval BA. Please excuse my ignorance. Anyway, thanks for bringing this feature to my attention. I intend to look for it at the next available opportunity if that is possible in an 8" Newtonian. I take it that it doesn't maintain a constant position in relation to the GRS.

[Paul73]

Likewise. I've not heard of it either. I'm assuming that this a stable feature like the GRS? To my eye, other features seem to be fairly transient. But this could be down to the vagaries of our atmosphere.

Interested to see how this thread develops.

Paul

[niallk]

1 hour ago, David Levi said:

Hi Niall. I can't answer your question as a quick internet search has drawn a blank but I'm sure you did that anyway. Another reason that I wouldn't be able to answer it is that I don't have that much observing experience and this is the first time that I have heard of the Oval BA. Please excuse my ignorance. Anyway, thanks for bringing this feature to my attention. I intend to look for it at the next available opportunity if that is possible in an 8" Newtonian. I take it that it doesn't maintain a constant position in relation to the GRS.

Hi,

Yeah I remember hearing about several white ovals merging a few years ago, and this system was the outcome. It began to redden, and there was speculation as to whether it was the birth of a new 'red spot'.

Every so often I see it in some pics posted by imagers, and every time I observe Jupiter I strain to see if I can spot it.  I imagine that it can be seen, but having never seen it myself...!  I have seen white ovals though - they may exhibit higher contrast I imagine.

Damien Peach has some beautiful images of it on his site.

I believe it does not maintain a fixed position relative to the GRS.

Just thought I'd throw it out there and ask  the good folk here - I'd love to catch it with my own eyes

[JeremyS]

There's an image by David Swan on the BAA site. It was only taken only a few nights ago. Its shows Oval BA and the GRS, so you can get an idea of how far apart the two features are: https://britastro.org/node/10264

There are other recent images of Jupiter, some showing BA on this BAA page: https://britastro.org/recent-images-by-category/155

Jeremy

[niallk]

It was caught here:

On 16/05/2017 at 18:26, At dusk said:

Hi

After many windy or cloudy days, I could enjoy a night with good seeing.

C9.25 edge hd + powermate 2.5

asi224mc

14th May 21:30 U.T.

Regards

 

And I also believe I saw it captured in a rather impressive sketch posted 2-3 weeks ago: my apologies I can't locate/recall who did it. Red pencil was used for the GRS, and there was a little reddish spot that I should have asked for confirmation as being BA.

[mikeDnight]

This may or may not be of interest, but initially BA was nicknamed Red Spot Junior (RSjr). I managed to unearth a couple of observations from 2006 that may shed some light on its whereabouts in relation to the GRS. It is situated in the south temperate belt and as that belt rotates at a different speed to the south equatorial belt, there was excited concern back then that the Two spots would clash, resulting in the GRS swallowing or destroying RSjr (BA). It didn't happen! The following attachments, though viewed through a refractor, show south top (no diagonal).

Mike

 

[niallk]

Very nice Mike! 

[niallk]

I *think* I may have detected BA last night.  I threw the 15" out with little cooling, and was observing around 10:30pm ~ish, with binoviewers. Right centre of disk, I could see a mass protruding from the south temperate belt into the south temperate zone.  Seeing was variable - good during fleeting moments, and I felt there was a suggestion of salmon colouring at times.  During good moments, some beautiful details in the south equatorial belt were visible, preceding the GRS (it was yet to rotate into view).

Anyone else observing/imaging around this time and saw it/confirm it wouldn't have been positioned there?

Either way, it was a lovely evening to get out for a quick stint; a little dismaying to see how bright the sky still was, but there were bats furiously flittering around - lovely to see when stepping back from looking at Jupiter in the scope

 

[Moonshane]

I observed it once to my knowledge in 2014. See obs notes and the rough sketch. I also knew it as Red Spot Jr. This was with a 12" dob

[John]

Interesting thread

Absolutely cracking Jupiter views this evening here. 265x with the 12" dob is showing amazing detail in the steady moments. I'll keep a sharp eye out for the oval / GRS Jnr.

[Victor Boesen]

This thread really wants me to get my 10" out cooling down, but it is very hazy and I don't know if it is going to clear up.

[niallk]

Go for it!

[Victor Boesen]

12 minutes ago, niallk said:

Go for it!

Done! Ready for Jupiter to get into view in about 40mins. Hoping that the weather will get better.

[Victor Boesen]

Kind of disappointed with tonight. The red spot was not visible due to the conditions. The last weekend I was able to get the shadow of Io and Jupiter was a lot clearer.

[niallk]

It's always good to get out and try anyway Yeah love those shadow transits.

Nothing special visible at reasonable times tonight, but there's little cloud here, so I'm tempted to see if I can spot white ovals.