Jupiter in the Lion's Den

Jupiter is just such a fun, friendly target. Big, bright, and dynamic it is a consistent performer. For me from the vantage point of my driveway this apparition amid the stars of Leo is fast running its course - the giant planet will soon be lost in the neighbor's oak by the time it emerges in the twilight.

So after my successful Mars imaging the next clear night I opted to try to grab a session with Jupiter. And it did not disappoint - right there lining up for a transit was the Great Red Spot! It probably transited around 9:31 pm EDT on the evening of June 14th, which interestingly was off compared to the one on-line prediction I could find (what's up S&T - why did you ditch your calculator?)

I also did a little eye time after the videography. The spot was pretty dark, a bit more red than in prior years. But for certain it has shrunk - it's clearly evident compared to how it looked a decade ago. Will it still be there in another 30 years? Hopefully the arrival of Juno soon will shed some light on the dynamics of this long lived Jovian storm.

Jupiter June 14, 2016 9:30 EDT

Mars Finally Poses

Mars has to be one of the most fascinating objects. Shy in that it only lines up for a good appearance once every couple of years, and then only for a few weeks. Even then the disk is small, requiring study to tease out the details.

But then the effort pays off - albedo features, ice caps, dust storms, clouds - no other planet offers such an array of Earth like features. This spring in late May Mars came to opposition in Scorpius - but the weather had been pretty overcast and wet. Added to that was Dave & Laura's wedding, so Mars would need to wait!

In a sad moment of hurried home repair I backed into my venerable 6" Dynascope and managed to snap loose the finder scope from the OTA. I was crushed, but at least the scope was still serviceable. So the first week in June I get the opportunity - set the scope out, get the laptop and video camera - somehow manage to target Mars without a finderscope. But wait - where's the USB cord? Noooo!! Nothing but bad luck, Mars holding on to its secrets.

Amazon shopping that evening for a good USB cable. And then - the laptop dies - or more accurately the fan in the laptop dies. More opportunity slides by as I await my repair, the red planet all the time receding from its closest approach.

Finally the conditions align again - a clear night, USB cable, laptop, everything I need. This time despite a tense moment when the video camera was not recognized at first I pull it off, reeling off a string of AVI files. Even on screen I can make out the polar cap in the south and various albedo features - looks like Mare Acidalium there hugging the polar region.

The Registax works its magic, and I am delighted with the outcome. All the effort is worth it - I have an image that is far and away my best ever of 4th rock from the Sun. Now if the weather cooperates maybe I can score one more session before Mars recedes too far to make details discernable! That's the problem with an addiction, you always want that next hit.    

Mars - June 10, 2016 10:45 EDT