Seven Moons (And An Honorary One!)

[cloudsweeper]

4.50pm Sunday - fairly clear, dusk, big AR127L frac on Skytee II.  Jupiter at about 20deg, east of south.  Good and clear at x33 / 2.16deg.  Callisto to west of Jupiter, the other three east.  But what's that?  Just above Europa, something in the group just like another moon.  It wasn't, of course.  It was 45 Cap masquerading as an extra Jupiterean moon, and making a very nice spectacle too.  Going up to x200, Jupiter's belts were still clear, although faint in colour.  x240 was a bit too much.  By 5.20, the planet was much brighter.

Saturn was lower, further west.  Bright Titan was easily seen below it, and the planet's shadow was very clear on the rings.  At x100/150, the view was sharp, and a faint Rhea appeared in AV to the NW of Saturn.

5.20pm - the waxing gibbous Moon (the seventh moon of the evening) peered from behind a house.  Low, SE.  Even at x200, it was still bright, but showing very clear detail in spite of the slight atmospheric wobble.  x240 was not great, so back to x200 plus filter.  The Jura Mountans NW of Sinus Iridum formed a thin bright arc through the blackness off the terminator, while the western floor of SI showed slight undulations like ribbed sand.  Plato to the east had its floor almost totally lit, so no detail there.  I pushed it up to x400, but lost a bit of clarity, and 'scope wobble became an issue.  x240 was the best all-round figure.

I then aimed NE to target the lovely Double Cluster with the help of the observing chair for comfort (vital with a long frac), and just sat enjoying the view for a while.  Splendid, as ever, and very crisp in the frac. at x33.  Cloud stopped play at 6.00pm.  70 minutes of pleasure, and all before mealtime!

Doug.

 

[Epick Crom]

Enjoyable report Doug. 45 Cap being so close to Jupiter and it's moons is a great sight.

[John]

Nice report Doug

Lots of cloud here tonight with just the odd small patch of sky showing so not worth putting a scope out.

The Double Cluster is a lovely sight in a decent aperture refractor isn't it