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Jupiter 9-23-12 2:15am shadow transit

Started by cpr1 , Sep 23 2012 11:47 AM
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11 replies to this topic

#1 cpr1

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Posted 23 September 2012 - 11:47 AM

Observed and sketched Jupiter this morning for approximately 1 hour. From around 2:15am-3:15am. I saw the shadow transit as it began and was able to follow it till my sketch was done. It was near Great red spot. Pretty sure it was Europa. I had good seeing. Was able to hold 300x stable for the bulk of my sketch. I used a newly acquired Celestron luminos 10mm. Which I barlowed with a GSO 2" ed barlow. I also used a meade 8.8mm barlowed but the image would not hold. All observations were through my 12inch 1500mm F/5.

So far the best views I have had of Jupiter this year. The details that I was able to see were more than I could intricately sketch. I am impressed with the new eyepiece to say the least. But the night had a lot to do with it also.


Posted Image

#2 Asbytec

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Posted 23 September 2012 - 12:42 PM

Wow! Very nice observation. Seriously...

#3 frank5817

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Posted 23 September 2012 - 08:53 PM

Christopher,

This is a beautiful sketch. The detail you were able to include is most remarkable. Superb work.

Frank :)

#4 cpr1

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Posted 23 September 2012 - 09:52 PM

Thanks Norme and Frank. Frank I was amazed at the view that I had. Jupiter normally does not give it up easily for me. But this morning it was great.

It is interesting to watch the details change in just over an hours time. The shadow started out just on the edge and ended up around where I sketched it maybe a little more. I could also tell the changes in the clouds/festoons. When I finished one part of the sketch then came back to check it later it had already changed some.

I know some observers probably just have a quick look then move on to something else, but if you spend a little more time on Jupiter it changes and there aren't many objects that you can do this on. The moon terminator maybe.

I prefer DSO observing but when I can't go to a dark site the brighter objects are usually what I observe. And the King of Planets is one of them. Thanks

#5 Jef De Wit

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Posted 24 September 2012 - 03:42 AM

Great sketch. Try to add a black background.

#6 cpr1

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Posted 24 September 2012 - 06:36 AM

Thanks Jef I will try that next time. Probably will make it stand out more. This one was just raw no processing.

#7 ericj

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Posted 24 September 2012 - 02:10 PM

Hi Chris,

Nice sketch, thanks for posting it.

Clear Skies,

Eric Jamison

#8 niteskystargazer

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Posted 24 September 2012 - 02:27 PM

Christopher,

Nice sketch of the shadow transit on Jupiter :)

CS,KLU,

:thanx:,

Tom

#9 borczon

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Posted 25 September 2012 - 09:48 PM

Really great drawing. I've been looking at that black line on the bottom of Jupiter wondering whether or not it was real or in my imagination. It's nice to see confirmation that it is really there.

#10 cpr1

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Posted 26 September 2012 - 07:41 PM

Yes the N. N. Temperate belt with barges or storms on the belt edge. It is fainter but there. Also for some reason I could not see the spot Jr., but I didn't really remember to look for it so it is missing in the sketch. However the color, belt contrast, festoons, etc.. were as accurate as I could get them. I used harder pressure on the white clouds in the belts. They were a little softer than what I sketched. I noticed this after observing again a couple days later.

As I said before, I saw finer details than what I could sketch given the size. But the finer details would only come through when the atmosphere settled down. So the view is not always 100% crisp. You have to hang around at the eyepiece for awhile sometimes and wait it out. For those who don't know.

#11 Special Ed

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Posted 28 September 2012 - 09:41 AM

...It is interesting to watch the details change in just over an hours time. The shadow started out just on the edge and ended up around where I sketched it maybe a little more. I could also tell the changes in the clouds/festoons. When I finished one part of the sketch then came back to check it later it had already changed some.

I know some observers probably just have a quick look then move on to something else, but if you spend a little more time on Jupiter it changes and there aren't many objects that you can do this on. The moon terminator maybe...


Nice work, Chris--you got a good look at the King and your drawing reflects that. And it's always fun to watch a shadow trnsit. :)

Part of the challenge of sketching Jupiter is its rapid rotation. Jupiter would have rotated a good 36 degrees over the hour of your sketch time. I tend to work very slowly, so I had to train myself to sketch Jupiter in 15-20 minutes (after spending 30-60 minutes studying it) in order to "freeze" the sketched view.

Another (and fairly leisurely) way to cope with Jupiter's rotation is to do a strip sketch. Instead of using a disk template, you take a full sheet of paper and, starting on the left, draw the Jovian features as they cross the central meridian. Jupiter's rotation is working with you rather than against you with this technique.

If you want to try this, there are examples of strip sketching around. Rich, the moderator of the Solar System Observing forum, has done some nice ones. So has Paul Abel, who posts here in the Sketching forum. This is an example of a strip sketch that I did a few years ago.

Good luck with your Jupiter observations.

#12 cpr1

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Posted 28 September 2012 - 08:03 PM

Thanks for the tips Michael.
Back to Sketching

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