Ganymede and Callisto Close Approach Animation

[iceman (Mike)]

Hi all

This animation has been a long time coming. Back on the 5th July 2009, Ganymede and Callisto had a close approach - no occultation unfortunately, but it was still great to see them so close together.

Ganymede, at 5,200km diameter (1.7 arcseconds) and Callisto at 4,800 km diameter (1.6 arcseconds) are both over 635 million km away. The seeing was only just above average, but both moons show consistent albedo features throughout many frames of the animation.

The animation covers just over 2 hours of elapsed time. View the image and animation here:
Ganymede and Callisto Close Approach Animation

A single image from the animation is attached.

Thanks for looking.

[Quark (Trevor)]

Nice catch Mike,
A case of passing like ships in the night for sure.

With the grandeur of Jupiter it is so easy to overlook the minnows in orbit around it, worlds in their own right.

Well done
Regards
Trevor

[Dennis]

Hi Mike

Excellent work, write up and animation. I just love seeing these outrageously amazing animations! Who could have imagined, a few short years ago, that amateurs using off the shelf equipment and software would be able to reveal the dynamics of these remote, dim and frigid solar system bodies! And with such fidelity!

Cheers

Dennis

[Kevnool (Kev)]

Great work Mike fantastic detail there with Gamymede.
Cheers Kev.

[DavidU (Dave)]

WOW Mike ! even some detail there.

[Troy]

Wow Mike,
Really like the detail in this picture well done.

[stattonb (Statton)]

good animation mate, sometimes jupiters satelites can be more interesting to view then jupiter irself lol funny that