I've just posted this on our
facebook page, so I'll just copy & paste in here to make my life easier
. If you're on fb, share out the event to your friends. Pays to check the Astronomy 2015 Australia book regarding the extra events surrounding opposition
Looks like we're in for a fun night!
HEADS UP !!! Jupiter is at opposition tonight - February 7th.
And it'll be putting on a great show with a GRS transit and a couple of shadow transits (see below). John Chumack captured this gorgeous image of Ganymede re-appearing from behind Jupiter at opposition from the U.S. Midwest at 3.40 UT February 6th (1.30am AEST 7/2).
The best time to view Jupiter is at opposition time when the planet will be closest to Earth, therefore it will appear larger and brighter. It will be visible almost all night, rising around sunset, culminating around midnight and setting around sunrise.
Listed below are the events for Jupiter tonight.
My source is the Astronomy 2015 Australia book:
20.40 AEST: Io shadow transit (more suitable for eastern Aus).
21.40 AEST: Europa shadow transit, visible across Australia.
21.59 AEST: GRS transit (Great Red Spot), visible across Australia.
Refer page 113 for the shadow transits and page 121 for the GRS.
Here's more info on Jupiter for tonight and what to expect further in the year:
http://www.universetoday.com/118528/...h/#more-118528
John's image details: 10" sct scope, 2x barlow, QHY5LII CCD camera, Astronomik RGB, 51 fps avi, 3000 frames stacked in Registax, separate RGB combined in Maxim DL.
A fun night of Jupiter viewing to be had tonight! Enjoy, Suzy.