Great red spot

[timwetherell]

Is it just me or does Jupiter's great red spot look particularly great and red this year? There also appears to be a band of darker material trailing from the lower edge of the spot? This was a sketch through my 7" scope. i'm not a skilled astrophotographer but was also able to capture it fairly well with my DSLR which in itself attests to how dark and clear it seems this year

 

 

[kerrylewis]

I agree. When I have observed it over the last week or two it has looked deep crimson and very prominent with a surrounding pale area serving to emphasise it more. 

[Red Dwarfer]

It seems to vary slightly in colour in different scopes and different nights ... just past the meridian 2 nights ago , it was a pale orange in my 350P and several festoons were very prominent as well at around X200 .

[Davey-T]

Looks darker orange than last year, maybe  it's an atmospheric effect ?

Dave

[kerrylewis]

Maybe ‘deep crimson’ is a bit of an exaggeration, but it was my reaction in my notes at the time ?

It certainly looked really red in the 100mm Tak. I remember not long ago the discussion was about how much paler it seemed to be and speculation on whether it was fading away! 

[Eastman]

+1, but I find it more on the bright orange side (10" dob) during the moments of good seeing.

Anyway I like it very much, Jupiter may not be that high but she gave me some great views.

[ronl]

Looking at the configuration of Jupiter's moons, and my notes, this was 10:40 on the 21st of June,

I have noted the colour being bright orange, but it does vary, from previous years it does seem darker.

[JeremyS]

It does seem more prominent.

I see there is a GRS transit around midnight tonight (23.15 UT) - another chance to see just how colourful it is.

[Stu]

I'm sure we all perceive it slightly differently but to me it is orange rather than the red it has been previously. I think also the saturation depends upon the time you observe. In the brighter twilight your cones are still stimulated so the colour is easier to see. As it gets darker I think it is less obvious. That's certainly my experience observing with my 4", I'm sure the larger exit pupils from larger scopes help show the colour more clearly in the dark.

I recall when I first started observing,  and up until a few years ago,  I didn't feel I saw much if any colour on Jupiter. Whether it is down to experience or something else,  I don't know,  but I certainly do see plenty off colour when I observe it now. 

[John]

Salmon-pink for me and, yes, it's been looking really well defined this year

A few years back it was merely a "Great Greyish Spot". It lives up to it's name again now.

[timwetherell]

2 hours ago, ronl said:

Looking at the configuration of Jupiter's moons, and my notes, this was 10:40 on the 21st of June,

Yes, bang on! 10.30 on the 21st in my notebook

[Alan White]

Yes, it's looking more pronounced and colourful to me this year too.
But each year my observing skills improve, so perhaps that is part of my perception too.
Whatever it is, the experience still makes me grin each time I see it.