Busy little sky in Feb

[PSALM19.1]

Ok, so on Feb 21, starting at around 8:15 PM and ending in the wee hours of Saturday 22, you can see Mars, Saturn, Jupiter the Moon and M42 (among other DSO's) - pretty cool: also, Mars is getting bigger so will be pretty decent on that night; Saturn also is becoming better viewing by then; Jupiter will still be hanging in there as a decent object and the Moon, well, it's the moon....

Question also: can you see Jupiter rotating in an 8" scope?

Bye!

[Camelopardalis]

With decent seeing, you can see the features of Jupiter in much less :)

The size of Mars varies quite considerably around opposition - try to view as close as possible. Jupiter and Saturn are big enough to good results so long as they're at decent altitude.

[mental4astro]

With a full rotation of Jupiter taking less than 10hrs, during a winter's night you would be able to see a full rotation take place. Now, if you are expecting to see it spin like a top right before your eyes, no. Its movement will still be relatively slow to see in a short space. But, if you are patient, and have a feature like the GRS, over the space of an hour you will begin to notice the shift in position of the GRS. This I have noticed with my 5" SCT, so in an 8" this won't be a problem.

There have been some enterprising IIS members who have put in the hard yards to produce a time lapse film of a rotating Jupiter and Saturn during a whole winter's night session.

Shadow transits move fast across the disk too. These can be quite fascinating to view as they approach the limb of the planet and are about to 'fall off' the planet. There are various programs that give the dates and times for these shadow transits too. All the transits I've seen however, have been just from chance viewing and nothing to do with following up from tables and programs - I'm happy to just let luck and chance coincide for me, :D

Mental.

[Quoll]

According to “Astronomy 2014 Australia”, on January 21st at 2.00am EST and midnight WST Callisto’s shadow will be in transit across Jupiter. These times may not be exact for best viewing. Also daylight saving?

I’ve yet to see the shadow of one of the moons on the planet so I hope I can see it in my 8” DOB.

[OzStarGazer]

I can't wait to see Mars and Saturn! Jupiter is already an old buddy. :)
Saturn should be easy to find. Very close to the moon. It should be visible at about 3am from my balcony...

[Allan]

The first decent telescope I got when I was young was a 4.5" newt. I saw lots of detail on Jupiter with that. One of my favourite events were watching moon transits. I would spend hours looking at stuff, but regularly check back to Jupiter to see how the transits were progressing. An 8" is plenty big enough to enjoy a lot of what Jupiter shows. The moon shadows look like little discs which I think is pretty cool.

[Allan]

Bill, from Perth Io will start a transit at 3:03am tomorrow morning, and again at 9:32pm on Friday night. Being the closest of the big moons Io only takes a little over 2 hours to complete a transit. So using higher power you can almost see the shadow moving across Jupiter.

[PSALM19.1]

Thanks all....I think to see a shadow transit through my 8" Dob would require a trip to a nice dark field somewhere...there's no way I can catch that much detail from my place....I can certainly get a good view of the larger bands but the fainter ones are barely detectable...I did catch the Great Red Spot a couple of times - very small, but it was there....(at 200X Orion Edge On Planetary) :)

[Quoll]

Thanks for that Allan. I hope to be watching on Friday night.

I saw Io disappear behind Jupiter a week or so ago, quite impressive. I find Jupiter so bright it may be hard to actually see Io as it transits but hopefully the shadow will stand out. That’s why Callisto seems a better proposition as it is much larger than Io. I'm still using the EPs that came with the scope so I may be battling to see detail using high mag.


Shaun, see this post by Allan, it's post No 12 http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/showthread.php?t=116432

You seem pleased with your Orion edge on planetary Shaun. I've been considering one of them as a replacement for the EPs that came with my scope. Difficult decisions to make :(

Clear skies

Bill

[JJDOBBER79]

Hey psalm. I regularly watch the moon transits on Jupiter with my 6inch dob. I watched Ganymede 2 or 3 nights ago and I have seen io transit several times. You will not need dark skies as I observe this with my backyard light pollution and you do not need super expensive eps as I am using the ones that came with the scope. You will only see the shadow which will be a small black dot. I have never seen the moons you will need a bigger scope for this I suspect. Get the "jupiters moons" ap. it will tell you exactly when the transits happen . And it's FREE:D. It's an awesome sight. Every time I've tried to observe this i have succeeded so you will have great views with an 8". Good luck:thumbsup:

[PSALM19.1]

Thanks guys! Yes, maybe I need to look more closely at shadow transits...I haven't taken into account the specific times that I need to be looking...dah!

Yes, Bill, the Orion Edge On (6mm) is a very good ep for $130 or so bucks! Crisp, sharp views of moon and planets and not too bad on DSO's as well (though maybe too powerful)...there is no blueish discoloration at the edge of planets either. It is vastly superior to my Bintel 9mm and is, in most cases, the only ep I need! Happy viewing!

[Camelopardalis]

+1 no dark sky necessary! Jupiter is so bright it would be a waste of time if you can catch a view from home.

With the transit, the shadow will be very obvious as a dark spot - take a look at my image in the Beginners Imaging section - most likely the most obvious feature of all. Catching the transiting moon itself can be a bit more tricky because of Jupiter's brightness, but it is doable. Just look near the dark spot :D the transiting moon is also fun to watch as it approaches and leaves Jupiter's disc...watch the shadow carefully too ;)

[mental4astro]

Me 3, for not needing a dark sky for ANYTHING to do with Jupiter!

In fact, no dark sky is necessary for any of the major planets or our Moon. Oh, and should I mention the Sun too, :rolleyes:. From my home in Sydney, I've counted on one occasion 6 of Saturn's moons using an 8" dob. For this reason, I keep the majority of my observing from home just to the Moon and planets - helps keep me sain too when the neighbours keep their backyard flood lights on.

[OzStarGazer]

I was able to see Mars last night (for the first time, so it was exciting), but Saturn was hidden behind trees and by the time it came out the sky was too bright... :(

[PSALM19.1]

So...what are you guys saying?...I don't need dark skies to see planets...:P My next goal will certainly be a moon transit, will check those times!

Incidentally, the Moon was awesome last night in a 32mm EP...a stunner:)

[PSALM19.1]

Mr OzStarGazer...it is really cool to look at planets for the first time...I caught Mars as well this morning at dawn...my 8" Dob didn't have time to cool down though so was little more than a small shiny ball...of course, Mars is one planet that will gain alot of size over the next few months, so I'm sure even an 8" scope will pick up some detail....and Saturn, I would have to say that it is my favourite thing to look at (although, I am fond of the Moon...Sir Patrick Moore said: "Once a Moon man, always a Moon man" - guess he might have been right!:)

[OzStarGazer]

Oh, I watched it at about 3:30 in the morning. :) I didn't see many details (hardly any). I have a 5" baby dob, but just the thought that I was watching Mars was exciting! An orange filter did help a bit with clarity.

[OzStarGazer]

I LOVE the moon too, Shaun. I even bought a moon globe.
I do look forward to Saturn. Maybe I will go to the beach to watch it because at the moment it seems to come out of the trees in my neighbour's backyard (in front of my balcony) when the sun is already up. :(

[Camelopardalis]

Last opposition, I could see dark shapes and the polar cap in a 6" scope, so all you need is a night of decent seeing. The great thing about Mars is the day is slightly longer than ours so if you get the chance to see it on successive nights you can see different faces :)

According to sky safari, Mars is only 6.8" now but will be 15.1" at opposition. Not the best, but as it'll be huh in the sky I hope we still get to see some good stuff. Only a shame we don't pass each other by more often IMO.

[JJDOBBER79]

hi Dunk, so when would you suggest mars will be at its biggest (closest). I too have a 6 inch so hard to see detail. Also what time can I expect to see it.

[mental4astro]

Opposition for the planets is all listed here in IIS under the "Resources" banner in the left margin:

http://www.iceinspace.com.au/planetopp.html

Not only is the opposition time noted, but the size of the planets and their best and worst opposition sizes and times.

A six inch scope will show a huge amount of detail on Mars. Don't think that big aperture is all that's needed with the planets. While it helps to an extent, the atmosphere is the ultimate determining factor. A six inch will show a much detail as an 8" on all but the very, very, winning-lotto like-of best of conditions. My 5" has shown me not only the polar caps, also the dark green surface details that are constant through our scopes. I've also been able to identify a huge dust storm that wiped out most of the features visible on the planet for several months - at first I thought my scope was a poor sample, then I read what was actually happening on the planet at the time and it all made sense, and once the dust settled, things changed back to how they normally are. The polar caps also have a dark green halo around them. You will also notice the polar caps increase and decrease in size respectively over the course of time with the planet's seasons.

Don't underestimate the capability of your gear. Your greatest asset is your experience with the gear you have. Be patient, as things through a scope take time for our minds to interpret, and many, many details escape our identifying because we rush and expect space probe photographic images. Filters can help, BUT, but, what these will reveal are not immediately evident, nor do they always appear as we would expect them too. There's no mistake with the small font I used with the word 'can'.

I've mentioned filters (oh man, what I can of worms I've opened! :rolleyes:). Rather than say what filter is best, have a read through this excellent filter guide. It not only mentions colour filters, but also the various nebula filters there are and what they are all best for. With the colour filters, all I will suggest is get just two or three, no more! You really won't use them very much at all. Take your time going over the filter guide, and choose two or three filters that will best cover things for your liking. And remember, what filters reveal won't be immediately evident or show up how we would expect.

Patience, atmospheric conditions, and time will be your best friend with the planets and DSO's no matter how big or small the aperture of your scope.

[OzStarGazer]

15.1" sounds pretty good!

[Camelopardalis]

Opposition is early April, so best to catch it within around a month either side for size, but anytime with good seeing is a good opportunity IMO

[Camelopardalis]

That's barely 1/3 the size of Jupiter around opposition :sadeyes: and around that for a couple of days before it drops off. Fast :D

It's not like Jupiter or Saturn which are big enough to be a treat almost anytime they're at decent altitude.

[PSALM19.1]

Indeed! I had oodles of fun with my little 76mm First Scope a couple of years back! Jupiter was just a shiny white ball with a HINT of a couple of stripes, but I was happy as Larry with it! The first time I looked at the moon I was blown away! Then I started to experiment with Barlows within Barlows and filters and all that and things got even better! After that, I mentioned to my wife if she ever came across a cheap scope in a second hand store she should grab it...and of course, she did! Found a 60mm refractor, which was hard to use but yielded pretty decent views...so I considered that an upgrade!

Point is, I agree, you can have heaps of enjoyment with the smallest of apeture...am I saying that a Celestron First Scope is comparable to an 8" Dob - well, no; but as Malcolm has said, there's plenty to see when conditions are good!

Just on filters (can of worms re-opened!): I can honestly say that, at present, a blue filter works a treat with Jupiter as opposed to no filter; bands are more pronounced and crisper; I also use Red and Orange for the Moon and enhanced details are stunning!...:)

[Camelopardalis]

Completely agree, any scope can bring a lot of joy. Last month I was sweeping the rising Milky Way with my little refractor and it was just sublime :)

Not wanting to sound like a stuck record as mental has covered it, but nothing beats getting out there and having a look. You'll soon see differences in conditions the more you look, and the more you look the more you'll see :D

[Quoll]

Had excellent views of Jupiter last night from my light polluted backyard. For the first time ever I watched one of the moons (Io) transit the planet! What I’ve been missing out on! I hadn’t realised they happened so frequently. The best part was when Io ended its transit and emerged out of the planet – what a fantastic sight! It was like the planet was giving birth to a moon :lol:

Found it very difficult to spot the shadow at first amidst the glare of the planet and thought it must be too small for me to see. When I first saw it I thought it was a speck of dirt on my optics being so tiny! But then over time I saw it move. As the night went on I found it easier to see. Was that due to better seeing conditions, me seeing better, or a combination of both? I think the later. I’m learning ;)

I’m still using the EPs supplied with the scope and found that I had to keep Jupiter centred in the eyepiece for the best views, once it moved to the edges I lost resolution and it became too blurry to see really well. I guess once I get setup with some better quality EPs I won’t have that problem, at least to the same extent. Found barlowing my 25mm was the most comfortable to use.

I found the utility on the Sky & Telescope web site excellent for finding out the times of transits: http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/objects/planets/3307071.html?page=1&c=y#

I’m just wondering how a neutral density filter would go for viewing the transits as it might cut down a lot of the glare but still allow the shadow to be visible. Anybody used one? I have one for my camera so I might hold it in front of the eyepiece to see if it helps. I’m thinking about getting one for the scope for viewing the moon.

[Allan]

That's good to hear you had a great night Bill. I liken your eyes receptors to a camera chip. I find the longer I look at something the more the image gets burned into my vision. I watched the Io transit, and I was seeing a lot more by the end of the transit. It was in those moments of good seeing that I saw lots of fine detail and no doubt the same was probably happening for you.

I have an ND filter I sometimes use on the moon, I don't use it on Jupiter though. I think you need all the light you can get to see the surface detail. But hey, there's no reason why you shouldn't get one and see for yourself.

[Camelopardalis]

Transits are great :) the thing about Jupiter is that there's always something going on...it'd never static, with all the surface features and moons catapulting around.

I don't use a filter, I just let my eyes adjust. If you find it too bright, increase the magnification a bit as the object will dim slightly with increasing magnification. The seeing will determine how high you can go and keep the image looking crisp, and it can be fun trying too. Personally, I prefer to have a crisper image than a larger one, but sometimes you can have your cake and eat it :D

[PSALM19.1]

Yes, saw IO as well! Wasn't even expecting it...happened to be out looking at the right time...indeed, the seeing was VERY good last night, I ramped up the power to 400x..usually that is pretty useless with Jupiter, but last night even IO was there...and tonight wasn't bad either as Ganymede is now currently transiting...awesome! Oh, and my daughter even managed a decent photo of Jupiter through an Iphone...cool!

[mental4astro]

:doh: forgot to add the Lumicon filter guide link. Ta for the PM Allan-L:

http://www.lumicon.com/store/pg/15-LUMICON-Nebula-Filters.aspx

Neutral Density filters work. I prefer to use a pair of polarising filters as I can then vary the transmission to suit me. A single polarising filter sometimes is fine on its own. I find a pair of these more versatile. Again, I don't use them often except for extended low mag viewing of the moon. As my main lunar and planetary scope is a C8, at high power I find I don't need to tone down the glare. But colour filters help with some details with the planets.

[linstar88]

Look, up in the sky, it's a dirt spot, it's a satellite, no it's a super-moon in transit :lol:
Hi all
Looking at Jupiter last night gave a nice surprise. At first I thought a small speck of dust might had gotten onto my eyepiece as I'd forgotten a moon would be in transit. After throwing in another eyepiece just to make sure it was not dust particle, and not a satellite of some description. I realised it must be a moon in transit (thank goodness). Excellent viewing last night even with the bright light of the moon. Here's hoping tonight will be ok as well.

cheers Guy

[JJDOBBER79]

Hi Guys,
Stayed up on friday night and managed to watch Io transit and the great red spot. I havent seen the red spot before. Heaps of detail with really crisp defined edges. It kinda looked like it was protruding out of the planets surface. Very cool. Mars might be next. I am going on a camping trip into a state forest for oz day, moon will be last quarter, hoping to see some galaxies too.