Europa shadow transit tonight - 2nd July 2019

[Peter Drew]

Had a short session with the 16" SCT basically trying out a newly set up video system for outreach purposes. Jupiter presents a 8" diameter image on a large screen. The image was boiling significantly due to seeing conditions exacerbated by being downwind of the nearby wind turbines 😡. Brief moments of better seeing revealed some belt detail and the shadow transit but the moon only became visible when well clear of the planet due to the turbulence.    

[geoflewis]

2 minutes ago, John said:

Last nights seeing conditions showed me the best views of Jupiter I've had this opposition by far - quite like "the old days" in fact

During the better moments the structure of the 2 main equatorial belts was intricate, especially in the SEB which seems to be split into two parts for much of its diameter. 2 clear festoons were seen and one of those was an extensive loop down into the eq zone.

At points I was getting 6-7 cloud bands.

Not trying to rub salt into the wounds of those who were clouded out though or those for whom the seeing was not cooperating (honestly )

I'm fired up over planetary observing more after last night though !

Great stuff John. I never got out as the forecast was poor here, which was confirmed everytime I looked out, so I watched the football instead. I later discovered that the sky cleared sometime between 10:30 and midnight, but it was too late by the time I realised well after midnight. There's no excuse, I could have opened the obs to let everyting cool down just in case and closed it again if no go, but I didn't bother. With the jetstream out of the way I was expecting good seeing, if clear skies, which you and others have confirmed - hard lesson learned I guess....!! 😞 Geof

[Stu]

2 hours ago, John said:

I'm fired up over planetary observing more after last night though !

Despite being clouded out last night, I feel much more positive and am wanting to get out as often as possible just to focus on Jupiter. I struggle before opposition when the planets aren't around until the early hours, but now they are better positioned o shall be out there as much as I can (and Mrs Stu will tolerate!) Getting up at 6am every day does make mid week late nights a challenge though!

[Trikeflyer]

5 hours ago, John said:

Last nights seeing conditions showed me the best views of Jupiter I've had this opposition by far - quite like "the old days" in fact

During the better moments the structure of the 2 main equatorial belts was intricate, especially in the SEB which seems to be split into two parts for much of its diameter. 2 clear festoons were seen and one of those was an extensive loop down into the eq zone.

At points I was getting 6-7 cloud bands.

Not trying to rub salt into the wounds of those who were clouded out though or those for whom the seeing was not cooperating (honestly )

I'm fired up over planetary observing more after last night though !

I went out last night and the seeing was just rubbish by us.  Sky looked clear but Jupiter was like a wobbling jelly all the time I was looking.  Compared to the previous night which was really good, the contrast (or lack of it if you know what I mean) was obvious.  Packed up after half an hour.  Oh well hope for better tonight.

Steve

[John]

11 minutes ago, Trikeflyer said:

I went out last night and the seeing was just rubbish by us.  Sky looked clear but Jupiter was like a wobbling jelly all the time I was looking.  Compared to the previous night which was really good, the contrast (or lack of it if you know what I mean) was obvious.  Packed up after half an hour.  Oh well hope for better tonight.

Steve

Sorry to hear that Steve.

With a target as low down as Jupiter currently is, I think local effects can make an impact on the quality of seeing. By this I mean stuff such as the amount of tarmac and concrete that you are observing out over rooftops and streets rather than countryside, that sort of thing.

Larger scale effects such as the positioning of the jetstream have an impact as well of course.

Jupiter's light has travelled 588,000,000 km but it's the last 100-200 km that are the hardest !

[AdeKing]

3 hours ago, Stu said:

Despite being clouded out last night, I feel much more positive and am wanting to get out as often as possible just to focus on Jupiter. I struggle before opposition when the planets aren't around until the early hours, but now they are better positioned o shall be out there as much as I can (and Mrs Stu will tolerate!) Getting up at 6am every day does make mid week late nights a challenge though!

Me too, we weren't clouded out last night but I was at our Astro Society meeting last night and so didn't get a look in.

I also struggle with the early starts and observing late the night before so most of my late observing is restricted to Friday and Saturday nights.

However, now that Jupiter is visible above the neighbouring rooflines before dark I will be out at every opportunity to observe.

[Bobsweeney163]

Good seeing of linear belt of moons of Jupiter.  Almost perfect straight line.  Europa just a little out of alignment.