Jupiter and Saturn in the same FOV of Heritage 130P

[Mark at Beaufort]

In the last 45 minutes the sky totally cleared to give me a view of Jupiter and Saturn.

I quickly set up the Heritage 130P and viewed both planets individually using my 10mm and 6mm Baader Classic Orthos. I noticed that Io was almost touching the edge of Jupiter. I noticed that Io will start a shadow transit at 6.20pm (too low maybe for me)

Changed EPs to the ES68 24mm and obtained both planets in the same FOV. Changed to a 17mm Celestron Ultima 68 degrees and again both planets in the same FOV. I could pick out 2 of Jupiter's Moons - Europa is behind Jupiter. I could also pick out Titan.

Still hoping for clear nights leading up to the 21st but it has been a good start.

[vineyard]

I noticed the same clear skies & took a quick peek via the Telementor & a 16mm O and 10mm O.  Couldn't get both in the same FOV (long f/l I guess) but they were relatively close to each other.  Will try faster wide-field scope and an 18.2mm Delite next time 🤞🏾

The belts were nice & visible and I thought it looked like a moon was almost kissing Jupiter (on the left hand side of the planet as seen through a refractor?)  but I didn't have time to look longer - darn.

Fingers crossed for the 21st!

[Stu]

29 minutes ago, Mark at Beaufort said:

In the last 45 minutes the sky totally cleared to give me a view of Jupiter and Saturn.

I quickly set up the Heritage 130P and viewed both planets individually using my 10mm and 6mm Baader Classic Orthos. I noticed that Io was almost touching the edge of Jupiter. I noticed that Io will start a shadow transit at 6.20pm (too low maybe for me)

Changed EPs to the ES68 24mm and obtained both planets in the same FOV. Changed to a 17mm Celestron Ultima 68 degrees and again both planets in the same FOV. I could pick out 2 of Jupiter's Moons - Europa is behind Jupiter. I could also pick out Titan.

Still hoping for clear nights leading up to the 21st but it has been a good start.

Thanks Mark, hadn’t twigged they are so close already. Might try with the Heritage 150p, or even the Genesis for a nice wide field. I suspect even at their closest the seeing won’t allow particularly high power views but fingers crossed. A clear sky of any sort would be a bonus at the moment.

[DaveL59]

Noticed the other night they were real close, could cover both with a fingertip. Sadly they were low behind the treetops so no chance with a scope. Cloudy/rain ever since of course 😞 

[vlaiv]

Yes, indeed, thank for this.

I totally was not aware that they will be slowly coming together over next 7-8 days (and similarly growing apart after), so that they can be seen together in FOV with lower power eyepieces.

I was afraid that I won't get the chance to observe this event due to poor weather - but this gives much more chance for catching a glimpse of these two planets in the same FOV. They are now spaced (as of tomorrow) - about 1° - easy target with 50° plossl at about x40 magnification. Over next few days they'll just keep getting closer enabling higher power while still having them in the same FOV.

Current forecast looks promising on next Thursday evening.

[John]

Nice report Mark.

I just used 11x70 binoculars to observe the pair this evening - too many clouds about to set a scope up. A touch over 1 degree between them tonight I think.

Tomorrow evening might be OK here in which case I'm going to get the Vixen 102 ED with the 8mm Ethos onto the pair should be able to comfortably fit both into the FoV

 

[paulastro]

That was an excellent observation Mark, thanks for posting.

I've had poor weather and not seen them for a week.  Tonight around sunset they will only just be over a degree apart, only 1 deg 30" according to Sky Safari.  

It's well worth observers looking every night they can until after the closest approach,  as they are already the closest they've been for many years - and closing!  Theres no guarantee it will be clear on 21st for any of us in the uk so make the most of any opportunities

Needless to say my 72ED is ready to go whenever there's an opportunity, though probably not later this afternoon alas.

[Stu]

Tonight looks possible, might wander up the road to get a better view. Need to catch them as early as possible really I guess.

[Mark at Beaufort]

Yes I have the 6" Newt out tonight so hopefully the current clear sky remains for a bit longer. Checking on Stellarium I should get both in the same FOV using the 13mm Ethos and possibly the 9" Myriad. At 5.50 UT we should catch Io existing from Jupiter's shadow.

[John]

I've just picked them up with my Vixen ED102 from my back garden.

They were right against the field stop edges in the 8mm Ethos but easily framed by the 13mm Ethos @ 51x magnification. Jupiter a small slightly flattened disk with vague hints of equatorial belts and Saturn showing it's ring system but no moons against the light sky.

Nice to see

Edited December 12, 2020 by John

[John]

Switched to the 8mm Ethos again (83x / 1.2 degree true field) and they are both visible with a little sky each side of them if I get their position angles right in the field of view.

According to Cartes du Ciel the planets are separated by almost exactly 1 degree in the sky just now.

 

[John]

Galilean moons just popped into view now. No sign yet of Titan though.

@Mark at Beaufort - hope you don't mind me piggybacking on your thread ?

[Mark at Beaufort]

1 minute ago, John said:

Galilean moons just popped into view now. No sign yet of Titan though.

@Mark at Beaufort - hope you don't mind me piggybacking on your thread ?

No problem John. I have also picked up both planets. 3 Moons visible on Jupiter plus surface markings. Saturn also captured but no Titan as yet. Best view is with 13mm Ethos with the 9mm right against the field stop. 

I have also obtained close up views using the 10mm Baader Ortho + Baader 2.25x barlow

[paul mc c]

Lovely clear sky here,just have the 127 mak out at the minute and Jupiter and Saturn nicely placed,i can just get the both in same fov with a 24mm swa,when i say "just" i mean that..........right at each the edge of the eyepiece.

[chiltonstar]

23 minutes ago, Mark at Beaufort said:

No problem John. I have also picked up both planets. 3 Moons visible on Jupiter plus surface markings. Saturn also captured but no Titan as yet. Best view is with 13mm Ethos with the 9mm right against the field stop. 

I have also obtained close up views using the 10mm Baader Ortho + Baader 2.25x barlow

I got a good view just now with my ED80.

Chris

[John]

I tried some higher magnification views (166x) but the seeing is not great when you boost the image scale. They look nice and sharp at 50x-80x though and to see them both hanging there against a deepening blue sky is a real treat

You would never know that they are actually over 700 million km apart !

I'll leave the scope out for Mars later and maybe other stuff although the forecast is for clouds from mid-evening onwards.

 

Edited December 12, 2020 by John

[callisto]

No such luck here....tipping down 

[John]

2 minutes ago, callisto said:

No such luck here....tipping down 

We are forecast to get that tomorrow

[HollyHound]

1 hour ago, John said:

Galilean moons just popped into view now. No sign yet of Titan though.

@Mark at Beaufort - hope you don't mind me piggybacking on your thread ?

Likewise... I see three currently with the 80mm f/10 😃

Able to get Saturn and Jupiter in frame together (with bit to spare around edge), using 14mm Delos, XW or Morpheus 👍

Cloud on its way unfortunately 😬

Edited December 12, 2020 by HollyHound

[wulfrun]

Just managed to get a view out of the bedroom window - they aren't well placed for me, too many houses and a streetlamp almost in line. They are getting close, not much over a degree? I managed a peek through the 10x50s and can just make out Ganymede (I assume) as well. Can't believe how all the clouds have vanished! For now!

[Tiny Clanger]

27 minutes ago, wulfrun said:

Just managed to get a view out of the bedroom window - they aren't well placed for me, too many houses and a streetlamp almost in line. They are getting close, not much over a degree? I managed a peek through the 10x50s and can just make out Ganymede (I assume) as well. Can't believe how all the clouds have vanished! For now!

Yep, I'd kept an eye on the BBC weather forecast online, which suggested patchy cloud all tonight, so parked the 'scope outside as twilight began and by 17:30 it was fairly clear. Naked eye showed the duo a fraction above the shed roof and playing hide and seek between  some tree branches (not my tree ... ) Managed to see both at once in my finderscope , then a quick shufty through the not yet properly cooled 'scope managed a wobbly view of Saturn & moons before I lost both .

With a very low probability of rain, I've left the telescope outside with a cover over it while I come in to cook and eat, hoping to spend some time studying Mars later. Fingers crossed !

[John]

Gradually clouding over here. I've been looking at Mars plus a few doubles with the Vixen and the seeing is not too bad. Mars does seem small now though, even at 265x Some darker areas still visible.

I suspect that's it for me here this evening but the scope is still out, though covered.

 

 

[AdeKing]

I managed a quick look and managed to get both in the same FOV with my ZS70 and Lunt Zoom, though being very near the field stop neither looked really sharp but it was obvious what they were, even Mrs K joined in.

Cranking up the mag didn't do the view any favours as a lot of low haze about.

Did a quick higher mag view of each in the centre of the FOV before packing up and coming home for dinner.

The Towa 80mm f/15 is now set up in the garden on the AZPro and tracking Mars, will be out fir a detailed look after dinner.

[Stu]

Had some good views here, first of all through the Tak and then I decided to get the Genesis out for a wider field of view with both 24mm Panoptic and also the Leica Zoom. Both still fitted in the field of view nicely.

Three Galilean moons visible, equatorial belts just about there, Saturn was small but rings quite clear and Titan was visible too which was a bonus. The seeing wasn’t up to much so low power views were the most satisfying. Nice to have seen them.

[John]

12 minutes ago, Stu said:

..... low power views were the most satisfying. Nice to have seen them.

Just what I found this evening Stu

Some of the nicest for me came using the 24mm Panoptic at just 28x with the Vixen frac. The essential characteristics of each planet were still clear and very sharp