Return of Jupiter's SEB ?

[John]

I've been having a nice session with my Vixen 4" ED refractor on Jupiter for the past hour, watching the Great Red Spot (GRS) starting to make it's way across the disk. The South Equatorial Belt (SEB) seems a little more prominent tonight than I've seen it for a while, though still much faded over previous years. The GRS seems to be sitting in a hollow in the SEB again - I can make out a clear pale zone around the northern side of the GRS (like a pale eyebrow !) and nestled into the SEB.

Nice viewing at the moment

[brianb]

I had very bad seeing tonight, but the SEB didn't look much different to what it did a couple of days ago. Some variation with longitude is normal.

The way SEB fadings end is usually fairly spectacular, with many dark spots developing and merging into the usual dark belt.

[LukeSkywatcher]

Definitely looks like it is reforming. As brian says...lots of dark spots developing.

[brianb]

John, I didn't see much on Jupiter last night due to bad seeing, but the images I made seem to show a faint, very thin "SEB" following the GRS, broadening to near normal thickness preceding the GRS and leaving a collar between the GRS and the darker band - which is I think what you are seeing as the "hollow". The GRS was about an hour past the meridian when I was imaging. See here: http://stargazerslounge.com/imaging-planetary/115635-jupiter-01-oct-4-3-aperture.html

[John]

John, I didn't see much on Jupiter last night due to bad seeing, but the images I made seem to show a faint, very thin "SEB" following the GRS, broadening to near normal thickness preceding the GRS and leaving a collar between the GRS and the darker band - which is I think what you are seeing as the "hollow". The GRS was about an hour past the meridian when I was imaging. See here: http://stargazerslounge.com/imaging-planetary/115635-jupiter-01-oct-4-3-aperture.html

Thanks Brian - that sounds like exactly what I was seeing

I was also picking up those diagonal pale streaks in the NEB that your excellent photos show.

For an hour or so last night the seeing here (North Somerset) settled and I had some of the best views of Jupiter that I've ever had - pity it was my smallest aperture scope that was out and cooled but it was a lovely sight all the same.