Ganymede shadow transit 10.11.23

[josefk]

Pure serendipity this one - if i had left the house 30-mins later or spent 30-mins longer on Saturn (i started with Saturn) then i would have missed it.

This is Ganymede's shadow transit of Jupiter's southern pole last night. I picked it up about 19:15 a little bit further away from the limb than in this sketch.

I felt the shadow touched the limb at 19:27 or just a little after and was undetectable (had cleared the limb) at 19:41 though i appreciate both of these times will be related to the resolution of my 85mm scope, the steadiness of the seeing, and my eyesight. i was surprised at the size of the shadow. Larger than the one other i've seen.

Seeing was nice but not fabulous - i couldn't see any real belt detail except a darkening and bulging feature on the NEB in the west. I didn't see any belts or flickers of belts in the southern hemisphere other than the SEB. NTB was intermittent. 

Faber Pitt Pastel #188 (sanguine) is a good match for the belt colours at the EP 🙂

 

 

[johnturley]

I observed this also, and noted that Ganymede and its shadow were only just on the Jovian disc, unlike last year. I understand that occasionally in Jupiter's 12 year rotation period round the sun, Ganymede and its shadow can completely miss the Jovian disc, on the other hand Callisto and its shadow miss the Jovian disc more often than they transit. 

John 

Edited November 11, 2023 by johnturley

[dweller25]

I observed this at the same time, your drawing is very good.

It’s clear for me tonight and the GRS will be on show…….