Great Red Spot more obvious?

[WynneP]

I've never seen Jupiter's GRS as obvious as it appears this year. Has anyone else noticed this?
Explanations?

[Tropo-Bob]

I agree 100%. I have not seen it this good since the early 1970s when it was brick red. One outcome is that I can now see the GRS closer to Jupiter's limb than in previous years.

Explanation: My guess it is bring up some deeper material from a lower layer, but why and what, I have no idea.

[Saturnine]

The Red Spot has measurably decreased in size but according to NASA satellite measurements the cloud tops of the storm are higher than surrounding cloud layers and the colour has definitely deepened. It is much easier to see even in 80 / 100mm telescopes than it has been for several years.

[OneCosmos]

For sure. I have been enjoying viewing Jupiter through both thdSDM16” ax the 152mm APO over the past couple of weeks. The GRS used to sometimes almost need averted vision but now it is stand out obvious. Its colour has deepened from a pale orange to quite a deep red.

[OzEclipse]

Agreed. I remember I looked at the GRS through Phil's Mewlon 300 last winter(2017). The GRS was a PRS(pale red spot). This year, observing through an 18" f5.6 it's a much much deeper orange and easily visible even as it comes around the limb.

Now I just have to shake this cold and get out there again.

Joe

[Rodstar]

I have been blown away by recent views of the GRS in my new SDM. I thought perhaps it might be the quality of the mirror LOL. Definitely it is looking redder and I have been able to perceive fine detail within it on steady nights.

[OneCosmos]

It’s 18:10 and got home 10 mins ago and thought I’d take a look at Jupiter. I’m in Nundah, Brisbane and the seeing just now is astonishing. The detail through the 152mm using the Meade 8.8 UWA. Exquisite detail.

[OneCosmos]

Just had the most spectacular view of Jupiter ever with the 152mm, denkmeier binos and 21mm 3D LOA eyepieces at 174X

The dokters 12.5mm pair provide extremely fine views too providing 124x 220x and 288X

Clear as s bell!

Also at 300X the moons are sharp disks!

[Kunama]

I am glad it wasn't just my averted imagination.... I watched the GRS in the little FOA60 a few nights ago and was stunned by how much colour I was seeing.

[muletopia]

Yep,
Last week, the spot was clear and red at 100X with my Mewlon 210 and my wife's
8 inch Skywatcher dob at 120X.
Chris

[gaa_ian]

This is great to know, I will certainly be watching the transit times more closely now !

[Wavytone]

Peter it does appear more prominent (orange) this year than in recent years, it’s now fairly easily seen.

The GRS was far better in the period 1972-1990 when I first started observing - it had a deep brick red coulouration some years though it did vary even then from year to year.

[silv]

This was taken in March 2006 by iceman http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/attachment_browse.php?a=10553

And this is from last week by big-blue http://www.iceinspace.com.au/forum/attachment_browse.php?a=229124

Advancements in imaging tech and postprocessing aside, the balance of the colors shows a mighty difference.

It's assumed (https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2018/04/jupiter-shrinking-great-red-spot/557456/) the colour change comes with altitude. The taller the storm cloud grows, the more ultraviolet light can interact with the chemicals and change their colour.

[The Mekon]

Just come in from observing as the fog is now descending. Yes the GRS is very orange in my 18" and also well defined. In fact the outline is so clear that three nights ago when using my 4" at first look I thought a shadow transit was in progress!
Wavytone is correct in saying that the GRS was better in the 1970's. In fact after around 1990 it became difficult to observe with a small scope.
So get in now while it is good.

[Lee]

We've been observing Jupiter this week for my son's homework (cool homework) - we've just been using my ED80, really so he can see the changing position of the moons. Last night I could see the GRS, having never been a planetary viewer, I thought you needed a bigger scope to see it. I had to check with Starry Night and sure enough that is what I was seeing - and I wasn't really looking *for* it.... We'll dust off the dob this weekend.....

[ngcles]

Hi Bob & All



Yes, it is more deeply coloured in the last two apparitions than I can remember in the last +20 years. When I started watching Jupiter in the early 70s, it was easier to spot than carrot in an omelette -- rich brick red in colour. It has now regained much of its former lustre, though somewhat smaller than it was earlier. The most likely reason, as some have said, is that material from deeper-in has been dredged up and that the high-haze in the Jovian atmosphere (that can mute its colour) isn't being draped over it to the same extent.

Best,

L.

[bojan]

It was very obvious on the camera screen in live view (Canon 60D on C11) when I took this image 2 weeks ago (image is a bit blurrry, there was a lot of turbulences then).

[Tinderboxsky]

I agree, it is noticeably easier to see. Smaller but more deeply coloured.

As a result, I find the GRS much easier to spot close to the limb of Jupiter than it has been over recent years. This was particularly noticeable last night (23rd) when observing with neighbours at about 8.30pm. The GRS was close to the limb but very obvious as it slid further towards the limb and out of sight about 40 minutes later.

[morls]

Last night was good seeing here, and I was able to see the GRS very clearly despite being in Melbourne and competing with a close-to-full moon. I don't have any past experiences to compare with, but I've been surprised at how easily I can see it.
Stephen

[brian nordstrom]

:thumbsup: YES.
Brian

[Lee]

From wikipedia.....
"The storm is large enough to be visible through Earth-based telescopes with an aperture of 12 cm or larger"

[morls]

I wonder what the limiting aperture would be at the moment?

[Tinderboxsky]

There would be quite a few factors impacting the limiting aperture.
Coincidently there was a GRS transit this evening and as I have a set of aperture masks, I swung my ED103 over to Jupiter at about 8.30 to have a look. The GRS was near mid transit.
I was quickly down to my smallest aperture mask at 60mm. The image was starting to get dimmer, but the GRS was still very obvious. Under tonight's seeing conditions limiting aperture would have been lower than the 60mm.
103mm f7.7 refractor stopped down, 8mm eyepiece giving 100X