First good run on Jupiter with the 10"dob

[Eastman]

After reading all these great Jupiter reports, I finally get a change to take a look myself.

 

This evening the sky looks great so I carry my 10"dob to my backyard to give it a proper test on the gas giant.

Started with 150 X. Three moons visable and I hit the jackpot, the GRS is just turning arround the corner.

 

The two main equatorial bands giving some nice details on the edge and great brownish colour.

When the seeing went good the GRS lit up like a  ledlight with a beautiful orange colour. Never seen this before.

 

When you watch a little longer you really see the GRS moving more and more to the center of the planet. It really amazes me how quick Jupiter turns.

 

Try to push up the magnification to 240 X but it didn't bring me more detail.

So back to 150 X, the south pole giving more detail then the north. Clearly ring structures on the southpole.

 

I had a great time time with Jupiter, she has giving me some great views tonight.

It was a good run.

[John]

Great report Gert

Jupiter was looking fine tonight, while the clouds kept away.

[Jimtheslim]

Yep, Jupiter was absolutely fantastic tonigjt. As you say, the grs wasn't just made out, it leapt out. I saw a level of detail and clarity in my 10" dob that I never had before. I found x120 and x110 was really in the sweet spot however I even got some prolonged views at x136 for once. I was so engrossed that for the first time I felt compelled to make a sketch

 

[Jimtheslim]

Edit- you'll notice it's the 'right way up' which means it's upside down compared to what I was seeing! I actually wrote the time and date after I got in and automatically flipped it, which I'm annoyed about because it doesn't feel like it's as I saw it.

[Eastman]

Great sketch Jimtheslim, that is spot on what I saw in the eyepiece. 

[Jimtheslim]

I had never seen the very narrow band to the south of the grs before and wondered if my eye was playing tricks on me. However there were moments of such clarity that the contrast between the colours was so sharp i could definitely make out something. I couldn't make it out all the way across and under the grs. I was surprised i couldn't make out much more detail in the northern hemisphere, but maybe there isn't much at the moment? I'll be interested to track down some decent photos taken around the same time. 

[Eastman]

I noticed the seem narrow band. I even went on the internet to look at some pictures of Jupiter but unable to find one with this narrowband south of the GRS. 

[Stu]

1 hour ago, Eastman said:

I noticed the seem narrow band. I even went on the internet to look at some pictures of Jupiter but unable to find one with this narrowband south of the GRS. 

Who need the t’internet when you have SGL...oh, wait a minute...  

Anyway, if you check the planetary imaging forum on here you will find plenty of current images showing the thin band running around below the level of GRS but apparently breaking directly underneath it. I assume this is the Southern Temperate Belt below the Southern Temperate Zone but don’t recall seeing it this defined before (or at least not for a while). It was quite clear in the 4” the other night when the seeing was very good.

Example in this thread.

 

[Eastman]

9 minutes ago, Stu said:

Who need the t’internet when you have SGL...oh, wait a minute...  

? true, thanks Stu for sorting this one out.

[Jimtheslim]

I guessed it might be the temperate belt but had never seen it so well defined. Every now and again it would jump out like a bright orange, wire thin line against the white disc. Having seen some photos of jupiter from this last week it would seem !y eyes weren't playing tricks on me

[cloudsweeper]

Good work Gert.  The equatorial belts are of course easy; the NTB and STB a bit less so.  The other evening, I saw an extra one, the SSTB, but strangely, not the northern counterparts.  

Plenty to explore and enjoy with Jupiter!

Doug.