Finally back outside!

[george7378]

This is the first time in weeks that the conditions have been friendly enough to observe, and although the full Moon prevented observation of anything but itself, Jupiter and some interesting stars, it was still a good evening. I started around 19:20, and the first thing I saw was Jupiter. I used 240X to observe it, and although seeing was not good, I managed to see a very interesting pair of dark streaks in the SEB region (the storm is definitely spreading) and a dark region in the SEZ too, not to mention the dark NEB and NEZ. Europa was also very close to the limb, and I watched it over about half an hour as it gently slid onto the Jovian disc - it started out just next to the planet, and the dark space between them got less and less until evenually it settled on the disc, and it looked almost like a beacon of light coming from within the clouds of the planet. It became hard to see later on, but this is the first time I have ever seen a moon do that. The dark stripes eventually rotated off the planet, but the NEB showed a very nice festoon of light material cutting into it from the NEZ, which rotated across the planet throughout the night - it had a very distinctive shape.

I also spent a little time observing the Moon, which showed some nice shadowed craters close to the limb, including a large basin (a bit like Clavius) which looked very elongated due to the angle and perspective. There was also a very rough crater with lots of sharp-looking mountains within, which was also close to the edge.

The scope was completely covered in ice by the end, and there were all kinds of dew patterns on the mirror, but before I went in at 21:40, I did get a look at Mizar, which showed some great separation at 240X - almost as if they were two separate stars.

Here's to the spring, and more dark, clear nights with the likes of Orion, Ursa Major and its galaxies, and definitely Saturn.

[Black Knight]

You're brave, it's -12 here

/brrr!

[iamjulian]

Was that with your dob? Sounds like a fun night, though I'd agree probably more fun on a slightly warmer night. I could just about make out the SEB the other night but first time I have seen it since last year. Have you noticed it returning then?

[george7378]

You're brave, it's -12 here

/brrr!

Well, I was really getting worried that I would not get out again before Christmas (or before Jupiter was gone in the west!) so I went for it.

Was that with your dob? Sounds like a fun night, though I'd agree probably more fun on a slightly warmer night. I could just about make out the SEB the other night but first time I have seen it since last year. Have you noticed it returning then?

Yes it was. I have been observing the large dark storm in the SEB since it started, and comparing the view now with the view from late November, the storm has really spread. It was wrapped around most of the planet for a while during the night, before the black storms rotated off the disc. It is really coming back now - well worth a look.

[DarkerSky]

Nice one George. Jupiter's SEB revival sure is fascinating. I have watched it develop too over the past few weeks.