Jupiter: The Best of Times

[great_bear]

According to this text here:

http://home.comcast.net/~kpheider/jup2010.txt

Jupiter is at its most favourable opposition for the next twelve years in September. But I have heard SGL members say that Jupiter will be a better sight next year.

Which is correct?

[russ]

That's strange because Jupiter doesn't reach its highest elevation for the UK until 2013. But i guess the disk size shrinks by then. So perhaps the best combination of elevation and disk size happens in 2010.

But if Mars is anything to go by, height in the Sky counts for far more than apparent size.

[russ]

Yep, Jupiter's closest approach since 1963 and the closest it will be until 2022. But i bet its still better next year when it's 52deg up compared to 40deg this year. It peaks at 62deg up in 2013.

[great_bear]

Ah right... So we're adding in "UK" to the equation.

I figured it must be something along those lines.

I suppose the best thing to do is to fly severely south of the UK on the 21st so you get the benefit of both best elevation and best opposition.

[great_bear]

It peaks at 62deg up in 2013.

And after that, when does its elevation peak again in the UK?

[russ]

Not sure but i know 2017-2019 is a really, really bad period for planetary observers in the UK. Both Saturn and Jupiter barely scrape the horizon at their best. In 2019 both only reach 16deg up.

[Rob]

As general rule here.. just get out there and grab what you can!.. I've had some staggering views this past week.

Rob

[S.A.M]

I have been watching Jupiter over the last couple of weeks and the views are just great, managed to see my first shadow transit (of a moon) for over a year last Friday night. Weather is not looking good for the rest of the week, pity!

Peter

[russ]

Thursday night looks semi-promising for us, but you're right Peter, coming week not looking good on the whole.

[russ]

As general rule here.. just get out there and grab what you can!.. I've had some staggering views this past week.

Rob

2019 may test everyone's patience though. 16deg is woefully low.

[great_bear]

Russ - where do you get your info from?

[russ]

I think it was the Jodrell Bank website that mentioned Jupiter being at its best this year. The poor viewing angles i took from Stellarium and fast forwarding to 2019.

[great_bear]

Ah OK. I use the same "brute force" method, but with CdC 3.0 and the big "forward" button.

[Dave-Ryan]

With Jupiter being at opposition on the 21st, will Monday night after midnight or Tuesday night before midnight be when Jupiter is at it's closest?

I realise after midnight on Monday will be a better time to view the planet with it being higher.

[JB80]

Jupiter is really spectacular lately, can somebody confirm that it's possible to see one of the moons with the naked eye? I mean to me that is what it looks like but I may be wrong. Isn't that just a bit special if it's the case? I didn't thinkit was normal to be ab to see the moons with the naked eye.

[Dave-Ryan]

I very much doubt you would see one of the moons with the naked eye.

It doesn't look like I will be getting clear skies tonight to view Jupiter.

[JB80]

It really does look like it to me though, you can't really see it individually but to the edge of Jupiters glare there does seem to be another point of light so there is an extra patch of glare extending away. Also it is not all the time but I have noticed it twice in the past fortnight, it just struck me as it could be the only explaination for what I was seeing. As I said I'm happy to be wrong about it I just can't think of what else might be close enough to explain it.

I found a article from 1976(lol) regarding seeing the moon with the naked eye.

http://www.denisdutton.com/jupiter_moons.htm