Three moon shadows on Jupiter.

[geolindon]

From; http://www.space.com/16149-night-sky.html

"Friday–Saturday, Jan. 23–24, 11:35 p.m.–03:00 a.m. EST. The shadows of Io, Europa, and Callisto will fall simultaneously on Jupiter; this is an extremely rare event, which will not occur again until 2032.
Credit: Starry Night software"

:question: I assume EST in this case is in USA, if so, can any Icers help with optimum times for oz?

I have enjoyed the Galilean Dancers (between clouds and downpours) and would lurve to see this.

Oh, n i really doubt my 'new' (thanks Richard; IIS classifieds) 16" GSO dob is making it rain . . . . its juz that season up 'ere :shrug:

thanks, Lindon

[OzStarGazer]

I think it will afternoon here, so we won't be able to see it because it will be too bright. Actually, I don't think Jupiter will be up at all in the afternoon because it rises later. :(

[Allan]

Yes, unfortunately we miss out on this one.

[geolindon]

Thanks fellas.

[doppler]

Oh, n i really doubt my 'new' (thanks Richard; IIS classifieds) 16" GSO dob is making it rain . . . . its juz that season up 'ere :shrug:


Hi Lindon, nice upgrade :thumbsup:. That is certainly a step up from the 8", bet you are getting some great views with it.

Cheers Rick

[Suzy]

Ah, I saw that article too. And then I checked my Astronomy Australia 2015 book to see what of it would be available to us :question: and nothing of it will be from what I can see, as others have said.

But! On the upside- this could be fun :D:

Jan 23rd
20.02 AEST / 18.02 WST
Occultation event of Io - the re-appearance from behind Jupiter.
The visibility is more suited for eastern Australia.
See page 113 of the book.

Lucky people in the northern hemisphere, I'm so jealous. :astron:

[geolindon]

cheers Rick, i'm impressed by the views - give ya a peak asap.

thanks Suzy, i gotta get da book!!
last night 9.25 - 9.30 i enjoyed one moon becoming two n then widely separating over the course of 3 hours so i assume the 'fast mover' was Io.

[geolindon]

during the night of 13th and until about 1.30 am 14th i watched Io approach J and saw it (between clouds) right onto the edge of J's disc. then a long cloud interruption (started to pack up) followed by good seeing. at 300x i could see the shadow about mid disc and after persisting got a minute of clear vision of the disc of Io in front of J closer to the edge of J's disc.
packed up hapi as, three firsts for me; #1, Io on Jupiter. #2, Q2 Lovejoy's large bright tail, #3 the horse head neb near orion's belt tho not the horse itself.

[Suzy]

Well done Lindon, it sounds like you had a fabulous night!

The Astronomy Australia 2015 book is available here through the IceInSpace shop. You will love the complete guide for the whole year of all these moon events. It's towards the back of the book.

Some people sketch the moons positions over the course of many nights and find it a thrill plotting their movements. I wouldn't mind giving this a go myself one day actually, sounds like fun. :D

I took a piccy from my point and shoot camera on a tripod on Jan. 15th and I was so excited to see Callisto snuggled up to Jupiter. None of the other 3 bright moons were visible at that time so I guess they must've been tucked behind the planet. I was pretty excited my little camera snapped it :party: .

The only way I can still remember the moons names is "I eat green cheese" :lol:

[JB80]

Weather permitting I should be able to catch this, it'll be an early start then but it's also our(my wife and I) 6 year anniversary so I could always use the early hour to get a nice breakfast and coffee ready.
Two birds in one stone. :D

Was checking Stellarium earlier and the actual planet transits are a just going to make it on the planet but I assume it's the shadows that are really going to be the star of the show?

I got a nice double transit earlier and I'm guessing this will be my last shot at a triple for a while so I really hope the weather and seeing play ball, looking to be 50/50 at the moment.

[geolindon]

Thanks Suzy, n well done you too, that's a nice capture you got. :thumbsup:

I make rough sketches in my journal as i check J over the course of the night and it is interesting to see mainly Io n Europa's progress even over a few hours. espec Io it zips along. the only way i feel confident of their ID because perspective messes with their apparent distances out from J.

appreciate green cheese - makes it easy, cheers L

[geolindon]

G day Jarrod,
congrats on the upcoming anniversary and the double, its pretty darned good you get to take the gear with you to Spain.
so good luck and clear skies n hopefully you get more than a 'that's nice dear' for one of the events at least.
i hope you can post a pic . . (of the moons pls!), L

[JB80]

Thank you Lindon!


Lol, Hope so. I think she'll be more impressed that I managed to get up that early on a Saturday.
Current forecast is clear but windy so I hope I can get something to share.

[geolindon]

i wouldn't have seen it anyway, 'cos the rain is pissistantly coming down here.

[Suzy]

Hi Jarrod :hi:
How did you go?
Take any pics?

According to Bob King who writes for Sky & Telescope, apparently it's quite rare for a triple shadow event. Only happening one or twice in a decade on average.

[JB80]

Hi Suzy,

I was just about to post a first stack of my red channel. Not the best effort though as by the time the 3 shadows where there the sun was on the way up and seeing was rapidly deteriorating. It would of been slightly better at the start of the session but at least I can say I caught it.
Apparently the next one around this neck of the woods is in 32 years but I don't know if that means elsewhere may get one.

Any way, I'm a bit muddled on the exact positions of what is in this pic but there should be a bit.

The far left is a shadow, of which I am not certain if it is Io or not.
The second from the left is a bit smudgey but it should both a shadow(Callisto?) and Io(hard to make out)
Then on the right hand side there should be another shadow(Europa) and also Callisto.
Just off the disc and very faint is Europa.

It is quite an ensemble to be fair it's just a shame I didn't have the seeing or the aperture to do it justice.
I couldn't actually tell if anything was there looking on screen. Sorry it's a tad tiny but it wont stand up to any drizzle either.

Also added a rotated stellarium screen shot.

I'll see if I can bang a combined image up eventually, if it's not worse. :p

[Suzy]

Jarrod, nicely captured! :D.
Thank you so much for sharing.

32 years till your next one? .... wow!
A few days ago we had a double shadow transit of Io & Europa. I didn't find out till very late that night when a friend of mine told me. It was visible across all of Australia. But it was wall to wall cloud here so I missed out :mad2: .

So, errrr.... sorry Lindon, I would've given you the heads up if I had more notice.

When I first saw a shadow transit, it was quite by accident. I was observing Jupiter and this black speck of dirt I was seeing in my eyepiece was really bugging me :mad2:. I couldn't wait to give it a good ol' clean.
Then the penny dropped. :rolleyes: :screwy:
I was experiencing my very first shadow transit, confirmed on my sky programme.
I embraced that "speck of dirt" :prey2: and I could've smacked myself for thinking of how annoying it was :lol:.

[geolindon]

:D yes yes!! very well done Jarrod, congrats on a great capture and thank you for sharing.

would you please consider also posting it in 'solar system images'. i think it will create some interest and i reckon it would be good to have the likes of Quark (Trevor Barry) comment on it.

Suzy, i understand your excitement re that 'speck of dirt'. at this stage of my AA these moons intrigue and excite me; i think it must be because they are easily seen and tangible proof of the solar system's dynamics - just like they were for Galileo. :) no wurries re the double, i am out of action with a badly sprained ankle AND its full on wet season here.

you little bewdy Jarrod, let me go back n devour that pic, thanks again, Lindon.

oh P.S. congrats also on the anniversary, i hope it was nice dear :)

[Suzy]

Hey that's nicely put, Lindon! :D :thumbsup:
Sorry to hear about your ankle, I hope you feel better soon.


And Jarrod, yes do please tell - I'm curious to know how your anniversary morning went - you were up very early after all :P .
I bet the brownie points have nicely accumulated :) .
Or did you go back to sleep? :violin:

[geolindon]

Jarrod,

from the stellarium shot it can be discerned that the actual distances of the respective moons from J are reflected in the apparent distances from each moon to its shadow. i.e. Io is the inner moon so is, and appears to be, closest to its shadow. Callisto (Suzy's cheese) is furthest out so is the most distant from its shadow. plus due to the bending ?refracting? of the sunlight over that greater distance it's shadow is fuzzy. :) just as you commented on in your pic!
the sun must be positioned behind the right shoulder as viewed in the photo, n i dunt even wanna try to work out that the sun must actually be behind your left shoulder as you looked through your 'scope ? ? ?

thanks again Jarrod, great vicarious fun.

thanks for the sympathy Suzy, i'll lap it up :) good timing tho 'cos a; its too wet, n b, i am a tennis nut n the oz open has been very enjoyable.

cheers Lindon

[geolindon]

IISers have really spoiled me; each celestial event is anticipated and if at all possible through clouds and LP you guys post amazing captures!!

the triple transit was widely anticipated on the other side, many posts about 'it's gunna happen' and 'its rare as . . ' but;
i have checked Cloudy Nights and Googled it but can't find the type of coverage i reckon IISers woulda given it. i did find a real time video stream by Griffith Uni - its very atmospheric/hazy. i think Jarrod might have been a rare AA indeed.

appreciate it, if you know of some real captures n could post a link.
many thanks, L

[geolindon]

good ol' Hubble

http://hubblesite.org/newscenter/archive/releases/2015/05/image/c/

[Suzy]

WOWWWW !!! Gorgeous image from Hubble!
Thanks Lindon :thumbsup: