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Jupiter - 20250109
A couple of images of Jupiter from 20250109.
Seeing Antoniadi 3. Very high level cloud and initially a very visible halo around the moon. Lots of condensation in the air which eventually limited the observing session as it condensed out and immediately froze. Hoar frost the following morning.
Very cold here with very average seeing, probably not helped by my C11 eventually freezing over. Eventually had to give up when ice started forming on the primary mirror.
Very strange conditions, the cold was quite bearable until about 21:00UTC when it suddenly became very much colder. I really need to get some warmer clothing for these conditions.
The first image was taken at 19:41 UTC. After processing, I was astounded by the vividness of the Great Red Spot. I don't believe that it was overprocessed, but it was almost invisible using an eyepiece at 80x magnification.
The moons that are visible are Io (left) and Ganymede (right).
About 40 minutes later (after the first major defrosting session on the telescope optics), I tried again but using a Baader modular Barlow (2.2x magnification). Results were a little disappointing. The GRS had moved further to the west and was now almost invisible, but I think the conditions were simply not good enough for this level of magnification.
Still fairly pleased with this though.
Central Meridian
Jovian Longitude (System III) for:
- 2025-09-01 20:30 UTC
- JD 2460685.354166666
- 297.79 degrees
Optics
- Celestron 11" Edge HD
- Baader 2x Modular Barlow (one 2nd image)
- ZWO ASI224MC Camera
- IR/UV Block filter
- Orion EQ-G Pro mount
Processing
- SharpCap 4
- AutoStakkert! 4
- Registax 6
Mars - 20250102
In addition to the Jupiter images taken this evening, I eventually managed this image of Mars with some detail present.
Colour aberration probably induced by the x2 Barlow which is a shame.
Correlation of image details was against this excellent Albedo map on the BAA Mars section website by Martin Lewis
My own effort is a very poor rendition of this:
Seeing was Antoniadi III (at best) as Mars is still quite low in elevation.
Equipment
- Celestron C11 Edge HD
- Orion EQ-G Pro mount
- Baader modular Barlow lens.
- ZWO ASI 224MC Camera with IR and UV Block filter
Mars
Apparent visual magnitude: | Angular diameter (arcsec): | |
Distance from Earth (a.u.): | Elongation from the Sun (°): | |
Illumination (%): | Central-meridian longitude (°): | |
Position angle of north pole (°): | Opposition 2020 countdown (days): |
Data from the Sky & Telescope Mars Profiler available from here
Jupiter - 20250102
Possibly my best Jupiter image yet, much better than a second image that I took about 20 minutes later using a 2x Barlow. I really struggle to focus accurately using Barlow lenses. Seeing was Antoniadi II. Fairly stable. The weather had been cold and cloudy most of the day with temperature dropping slightly to about 22:00 UT at which point some clouds rolled over and there was a distinct fall in air temperature. The air felt very still. Time to pack up as I was struggling with the cold.
The moons are:
Ganymede on the right and Io on the left.
- Celestron Edge 11 HD
- EQ-G Pro mount
- ASIC 224MC Camera
Processed using:
- SharpCap 4.1
- Austakkart! 4
- Registax 6
Jupiter - 20241224
We have had a pretty awful late autumn here in the UK. I have only managed 3 Sunspot counts this month at the time of writing (20241229) due to almost incessant cloud which has also run into and disrupted evening observing as well.
However, the cloud cleared on Christmas Eve and although seeing was at best average to poor (Antoniadi 3), I did manage a brief period with my Edge 11 HD, observing Jupiter and totally failing to see anything meaningful of Mars (except for a dancing reddish blob).
Despite only very average seeing, I am quite pleased with this image of Jupiter and Io.
A second image (out of 3) with the addition of a Baader modular Barlow lens (approx. 2.2x magnification) produces (for me) quite an acceptable image.
This image show three white clouds on the southern edge of the NEB flanked and separated by what appears to be Green clouds to the East and West. I'll update this further when I establish just what they are.
----------------
Update, following a request on the ALPO Jupiter discussion board, Jim Tomney kindly provided an explanation and annotated image.
<snip>
I suspect that your are talking about "hot spots" along the NEB ( North Equatorial Dark Formations {NEDFs}). They usually are a dark blue and really stand out. They represent a portion of the atmosphere that is clear - we are seeing "deeper" into the planet at those points. These often trail off into the equatorial zone as "blue festoons". See S&T November 2024 "Observing Jupiter's 'Blue Holes'" for more information.
</snip>
These festoons have a 'tail' that transgresses into the Equatorial Zone (EZ).and can be seen slanting downwards from West to East.
(Annotation courtesy Jim Tomney)
Jupiter Central Meridian.
- 2024-12-24 20:25UTC
- JD = 2460669.3506944445
- CMIII = 50.86 deg
---------------
Optics
- Celestron Edge 11 HD
- Orion EQ-G Pro mount
- Baader Modular Barlow
- ZWO ASI 224MC Camera
Processing
- SharpCap 4
- Autostakkart! 4, 1000 frames, best 70%
- Registax 6
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