Shimmer

[Markaus]

Getting alot of what I can only describe as shimmering when viewing Jupiter tonight....is that normal? I didn't get it in the early winter with Saturn...


Appreciate the comments.

Mark

[GeoffW1 (Geoff)]

Hi,

Using a C8 with a Hyperion 17mm, Jupiter looks as though it is underwater from my Sydney backyard, although it has improved a bit in the last hour. Just bad seeing.


Cheers

[koputai (Jason)]

Yep, as Geoff says, Jupiter looks like it's underwater here in Sydney tonight.

[shane.mcneil]

So what causes that exactly? Does it happen in the atmosphere or does it occur at the mirror/air interface? I've always wondered...

Shane

[AndyK (Andy)]

Originally Posted by shane.mcneil

... So what causes that exactly? ...

Mainly just movement/turbulence in the atmosphere ... exacerbated when you're looking at something at fairly low elevations because you're then looking through a lot of atmosphere.
Jupiter was the same for me last night ... occasional glimpses of clarity but mostly like it was underwater as the others have said. It may have improved later in the night as it got higher in the sky ... but I was having something of a dew issue and was falling asleep anyway ... so I went to bed

[Markaus]

Thanks for the replys. Despite all the shimmer/blur i got to see Jupiter's moons albeit small which was a first & great..

[koputai (Jason)]

Yes, being more like pin points, the moons actually looked better last night than Jupiter itself.

Cheers,
Jason.

[Markaus]

Is there a way to know if the seeing will be good prior to setup? Or is it just a case of setup and look?

[Stu Ward]

Seeing was awful in Wollongong too last night. Which was a shame because it seems like the first cloudless night in ages
The fact that Jupiter is about as close as it's gonna get makes it doubly frustrating !

[Markaus]

And clear sky's in Sydney today/tonight......might just fire up the scope to see....

[Osirisra (Ken)]

Originally Posted by Markaus

And clear sky's in Sydney today/tonight......might just fire up the scope to see....

Hope ya have better luck than me, It a cloud free night here which is the first one in months with no moon but the wind is blowing it's guts out and the seeing is shocking. Even at zenith the refractions are horrid. Back to cloud again for the next week at least tomorrow