Moon and Jupiter - Another Great Session!

[cloudsweeper]

10.30 - clear sky - nothing but the Moon (waxing gibbous, nearly full), and Jupiter below it, a bit to the west.  And some bats flitting about.  I got Luna and Jupiter in the RACI on the Dob, but the spectacle was too low (fence in the way) for the main tube, even when I perched it on a couple of stools. So out of the Dobhouse came the ED80 and the GoTo mount.

The two were in view at x13/5.4deg.  At x27, the Galilean moons were clear, in an interesting triangular disposition on one side, with Io close to the Jupiter on the other.  At x96,the view was not so clear.

Over to Luna.  Plato at x160 and off-termintor revealed none of its detail, so I went south to Gassendi (north of M. Humorum), near the terminator.  Four of the central peaks were spotted.  The abutting crater to the north was largely in shadow.  But at x160, seeing limited the detail.

Back to x13/5.4deg - a splendid view of the Moon and Jupiter again, with thin clouds moving rapidly across, eastwards.  Putting Jupiter in the centre allowed the moons to be seen, although by then Io was over Jupiter's face.  Poor seeing prevented me from seeing it there however.

Finished at 11.20 - another pleasing session, the 51st of the year.

Doug.

[John]

Nice report Doug - the Moon / Jupiter conjunction did look nice this evening, while the clear sky lasted

I've found it much easier to get my refractors down to view these low level planets than the dob this year.

[cloudsweeper]

7 hours ago, John said:

Nice report Doug - the Moon / Jupiter conjunction did look nice this evening, while the clear sky lasted

I've found it much easier to get my refractors down to view these low level planets than the dob this year.

Thanks John - I fancied using a different instrument, but was a tad over-optimistic.  (And a bit under-cautious, placing the heavy Dob/base on two stools!)

Doug.