Jupiter This Summer: Was it as bad for you as it was for me?

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Date: 20 Aug 2007 19:41:35
From: rat ~( );>
Subject: Jupiter This Summer: Was it as bad for you as it was for me?

One thing that really put a damper on my observing this summer was how
low Jupiter ran, and how poor the views were all summer long. Here,
I've got these fancy refractors, and every time I set one up, just
dissapointment. To be fair I didn't go out more than a handful of
times, but the view in the 4.1" refractor was about as good as it got
all summer long.

I remember my first telescope, twelve years ago or so, an 8" SCT, and
Jupiter was in the same place, I blamed the telescope for much of the
lack of discernable detail. Now I feel that it was certainly a
combination. Tantalizing smudges, hinting at structure. I did see the
GRS a few times this summer.

On the upside, it will only get better in the next few apparitions.

When's Mars coming again?

I heard it was going to be as big as the Moon this time around.

rat
~( ); >

Viva La Esse Esse Ah

Date: 06 Sep 2007 12:45:23
From: Jason H.
Subject: Re: Jupiter This Summer: Was it as bad for you as it was for me?

Just adding this shot of Jupiter to this thread. It's was also taken
with the family Kodak point-n-shoot camera using video mode through an
8" SCT, Registax 4 and Roxio Photosuite 5.

http://setisociety.org/jupiterretrosharp.jpg

I know it's not the best, but it's my best so far.

Regards, Jason H.

On Aug 25, 4:37 am, "Jason H." <exosea...@juno.com > wrote:
> VisuallyJupiterwas pretty interesting from FL (exept that it was
> cloudy nearly all Summer :^( but I did get to sneak in a few shots
> (one can find much better shots from this Summer posted by others with
> better equipment at Astromart), here are some shots ofJupiterI took
> through my tiny telescopes using only a Kodak point-n-shoot camera and
> a 15mm EP,
>
> 1.5 hours ofJupiterrotation movie
>
> http://setisociety.org/JupiterMovieTheSequel.gif
>
> Jupiterin a Criterion 6" newtonian
>
> http://setisociety.org/jupiterstack3Aug07.jpg
>
> Jupiterand 3 moons
>
> http://setisociety.org/jupiterplus3moons.jpg
>
> Jupiterduring Io shadow (good luck seeing Io with my weak setup)
>
> http://setisociety.org/jupiterduringIOshadow.jpg
>
> Blown outJupitershowing symetrical 4 moons
>
> http://setisociety.org/EuropaIoJupGanymedeCallisto.jpg
>
> http://setisociety.org/JupiterinCriterionRV-6.jpg
>
> http://setisociety.org/Jupiterand3Moons.jpg
>
> And lastly here isJupiterthe other night with the Moon and Aldebaran
> using only a security camera with the dome on. The following movie
> shows 50 minutes of sky rotation, my satellite dish is lower left
> (sorry there aren't other stars, but there are clouds blowing both
> ways!)
>
> http://setisociety.org/MoonJupiterAldebaranAug2207.wmv
>
> Regards, Jason H.
>
> On Aug 20, 9:41 pm, "rat ~( );>" <ratbo...@aol.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> > One thing that really put a damper on my observing this summer was how
> > lowJupiterran, and how poor the views were all summer long. Here,
> > I've got these fancy refractors, and every time I set one up, just
> > dissapointment. To be fair I didn't go out more than a handful of
> > times, but the view in the 4.1" refractor was about as good as it got
> > all summer long.
>
> > I remember my first telescope, twelve years ago or so, an 8" SCT, and
> >Jupiterwas in the same place, I blamed the telescope for much of the
> > lack of discernable detail. Now I feel that it was certainly a
> > combination. Tantalizing smudges, hinting at structure. I did see the
> > GRS a few times this summer.
>
> > On the upside, it will only get better in the next few apparitions.
>
> > When's Mars coming again?
>
> > I heard it was going to be as big as the Moon this time around.
>
> > rat
> > ~( );>
>
> > Viva La Esse Esse Ah- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

Date: 25 Aug 2007 01:37:52
From: Jason H.
Subject: Re: Jupiter This Summer: Was it as bad for you as it was for me?

Visually Jupiter was pretty interesting from FL (exept that it was
cloudy nearly all Summer :^( but I did get to sneak in a few shots
(one can find much better shots from this Summer posted by others with
better equipment at Astromart), here are some shots of Jupiter I took
through my tiny telescopes using only a Kodak point-n-shoot camera and
a 15mm EP,

1.5 hours of Jupiter rotation movie

http://setisociety.org/JupiterMovieTheSequel.gif

Jupiter in a Criterion 6" newtonian

http://setisociety.org/jupiterstack3Aug07.jpg

Jupiter and 3 moons

http://setisociety.org/jupiterplus3moons.jpg

Jupiter during Io shadow (good luck seeing Io with my weak setup)

http://setisociety.org/jupiterduringIOshadow.jpg

Blown out Jupiter showing symetrical 4 moons

http://setisociety.org/EuropaIoJupGanymedeCallisto.jpg

http://setisociety.org/JupiterinCriterionRV-6.jpg

http://setisociety.org/Jupiterand3Moons.jpg

And lastly here is Jupiter the other night with the Moon and Aldebaran
using only a security camera with the dome on. The following movie
shows 50 minutes of sky rotation, my satellite dish is lower left
(sorry there aren't other stars, but there are clouds blowing both
ways!)

http://setisociety.org/MoonJupiterAldebaranAug2207.wmv

Regards, Jason H.

On Aug 20, 9:41 pm, "rat ~( ); >" <ratbo...@aol.com> wrote:
> One thing that really put a damper on my observing this summer was how
> low Jupiter ran, and how poor the views were all summer long. Here,
> I've got these fancy refractors, and every time I set one up, just
> dissapointment. To be fair I didn't go out more than a handful of
> times, but the view in the 4.1" refractor was about as good as it got
> all summer long.
>
> I remember my first telescope, twelve years ago or so, an 8" SCT, and
> Jupiter was in the same place, I blamed the telescope for much of the
> lack of discernable detail. Now I feel that it was certainly a
> combination. Tantalizing smudges, hinting at structure. I did see the
> GRS a few times this summer.
>
> On the upside, it will only get better in the next few apparitions.
>
> When's Mars coming again?
>
> I heard it was going to be as big as the Moon this time around.
>
> rat
> ~( );>
>
> Viva La Esse Esse Ah

Date: 24 Aug 2007 17:45:28
From: Richard Adams
Subject: Re: Jupiter This Summer: Was it as bad for you as it was for me?

On Aug 24, 5:19 pm, ko57 <ko...@mobiletel.com > wrote:
> Richard wrote:
> >For the following hour I had a steady
> > parade of visitors observing Io's progress. As the sky became darker
> > Jupiter became nearly too bright to observe Io's shadow. I threw in a
> > lunar filter, but to little accomplishment. Still, not wild about
> > Jupiter, but that was definitely a highlight of the year to catch.-
>
> Richard, how about a variable polarizer on Jupiter? Although I know
> what you mean when it gets too bright. Didn't I read somewhere that a
> Deepsky or other broadband filter works good with Jupiter??
>
> Kerry
> 2 filters on the way...hopefully clouds/rain won't follow...

I have one of those thingamabobs, but as I spend almost no time aiming
the 10 inch SN toward the moon I'm a bit out of practice with it and I
felt the dark was the wrong place to suddenly study up on the subject.

Date: 24 Aug 2007 17:19:55
From: ko57
Subject: Re: Jupiter This Summer: Was it as bad for you as it was for me?

Richard wrote:
>For the following hour I had a steady
> parade of visitors observing Io's progress. As the sky became darker
> Jupiter became nearly too bright to observe Io's shadow. I threw in a
> lunar filter, but to little accomplishment. Still, not wild about
> Jupiter, but that was definitely a highlight of the year to catch.-

Richard, how about a variable polarizer on Jupiter? Although I know
what you mean when it gets too bright. Didn't I read somewhere that a
Deepsky or other broadband filter works good with Jupiter??

Kerry
2 filters on the way...hopefully clouds/rain won't follow...

Date: 24 Aug 2007 18:15:28
From: Richard Adams
Subject: Re: Jupiter This Summer: Was it as bad for you as it was for me?

On Aug 20, 7:41 pm, "rat ~( ); >" <ratbo...@aol.com> wrote:
> One thing that really put a damper on my observing this summer was how
> low Jupiter ran, and how poor the views were all summer long. Here,
> I've got these fancy refractors, and every time I set one up, just
> dissapointment. To be fair I didn't go out more than a handful of
> times, but the view in the 4.1" refractor was about as good as it got
> all summer long.
>
> I remember my first telescope, twelve years ago or so, an 8" SCT, and
> Jupiter was in the same place, I blamed the telescope for much of the
> lack of discernable detail. Now I feel that it was certainly a
> combination. Tantalizing smudges, hinting at structure. I did see the
> GRS a few times this summer.
>
> On the upside, it will only get better in the next few apparitions.
>
> When's Mars coming again?
>
> I heard it was going to be as big as the Moon this time around.
>
> rat
> ~( );>
>
> Viva La Esse Esse Ah

Not particularly wild about Jupiter, I generally observe the jovian
sphere while waiting for dusk to transition to night. There's a reason
people ask, "Does anyone want to be blinded?" The evening of the 11th
I was setting up and waiting for the stars to show so I could get my
tracking set and decided manually slew the scope over toward the
southern sky and have a quick peek. To my utter astonishment I caught
Io's transit at mid-point. For the following hour I had a steady
parade of visitors observing Io's progress. As the sky became darker
Jupiter became nearly too bright to observe Io's shadow. I threw in a
lunar filter, but to little accomplishment. Still, not wild about
Jupiter, but that was definitely a highlight of the year to catch.

Date: 21 Aug 2007 21:41:57
From: Chris L Peterson
Subject: Re: Jupiter This Summer: Was it as bad for you as it was for me?

On Mon, 20 Aug 2007 19:41:35 -0700, "rat ~( ); >" <ratboy99@aol.com>
wrote:

>One thing that really put a damper on my observing this summer was how
>low Jupiter ran, and how poor the views were all summer long...

I've had a few nice views this summer. I don't get the sense that the
low elevation has dramatically affected my viewing. Of course, planetary
viewing is generally pretty iffy from Colorado. That's why I pretty much
stick with video <g >. I'd say that we've had better than average seeing
this summer, but fewer clear nights to enjoy it.

Planets are low when they are summer objects, and high when they are up
in winter. Jupiter has a 12-year cycle, and its opposition this year
coincided pretty closely with the solstice. So figure it will be slowly
getting better over the next 6 years.

_________________________________________________

Chris L Peterson
Cloudbait Observatory
http://www.cloudbait.com

Date: 22 Aug 2007 20:16:16
From: Bob
Subject: Re: Jupiter This Summer: Was it as bad for you as it was for me?

Chris L Peterson wrote:
> On Mon, 20 Aug 2007 19:41:35 -0700, "rat ~( );>" <ratboy99@aol.com>
> wrote:
>
>> One thing that really put a damper on my observing this summer was how
>> low Jupiter ran, and how poor the views were all summer long...
>
> I've had a few nice views this summer. I don't get the sense that the
> low elevation has dramatically affected my viewing. Of course, planetary
> viewing is generally pretty iffy from Colorado. That's why I pretty much
> stick with video <g>. I'd say that we've had better than average seeing
> this summer, but fewer clear nights to enjoy it.
>
> Planets are low when they are summer objects, and high when they are up
> in winter. Jupiter has a 12-year cycle, and its opposition this year
> coincided pretty closely with the solstice. So figure it will be slowly
> getting better over the next 6 years.
>
> _________________________________________________
>
> Chris L Peterson
> Cloudbait Observatory
> http://www.cloudbait.com

Actually, at the couple of extended events I've had fun at this summer,
Jupiter was a big hit with the public. I suppose that was because Saturn
was pretty much gone for the season, but I was amazed at the public
reaction on nights of fair to good seeing. We had to coax one 80+ year
old lady up the ladder at Carlsbad, but she thought the venture was well
worth it. She allowed herself to be coaxed on my 20", but flat refused
my observing buddies 25". Can't say as I blame her.

Bob

Date: 21 Aug 2007 19:57:00
From: ko57
Subject: Re: Jupiter This Summer: Was it as bad for you as it was for me?

Jupiter has been fine for me. I took the XT4.5 out, I'm getting good
views, just so happened the GRS was visible. I didn't find it too low
in the sky, it was not quite dark yet-not to get a peek, the seeing
was pretty clear considering how hot it has been lately~~~not really
much turbulence.
Mosquitos weren't too bad tonight, a breeze outside might have helped.

I'd received an Antares 6mm Ortho today-it looks like a UO HD twin
except that it says Antares, and wanted to try it out, along with some
GSO eps I recently found. That's me, big spender that I am...I was
comparing Highlight Plossls, GSOs, and the Antares that I'd bought. I
want to bring the GSOs and Antares out one night to check how they do
on the double doubles.

A few weeks ago I'd put an ep on A-mart, then I checked it out on
Jupiter, just to see-well I should have pulled it. It was a very good
example of a 5GSO, one that didn't do well in smaller refractors-60mm,
70mm-perhaps bad seeing?-but it did great on Jupiter that night in the
XT4.5. You could see the bands very clearly that night, contrast was
great, the seeing was good, the mosquitos were out in force also so it
was a quick look with other eps.
I wound up getting a Bonide mosquito fogger, I'd read someone else
uses one, I'll have to give it a try one night. I'd use it about
1-1.5 hours before I'd view. I have an early morning dentist
appointment tomorrow...can't do it tonight. Always something...

Gladys, are you in Arizona, New Mexico, or ??

BTW-Laura, I didn't get that Lumi broadband filter yet, but I'm
thinking of getting one down the road. (I have enough high power eps
for now...:)

Clear skies,
Kerry

Date: 21 Aug 2007 18:56:34
From: laura halliday
Subject: Re: Jupiter This Summer: Was it as bad for you as it was for me?

Date: 21 Aug 2007 17:54:07
From: goodnigh
Subject: Re: Jupiter This Summer: Was it as bad for you as it was for me?

Can't remember what object appeared first in the dusk twilight
at a recent star party. It was either Jupiter or Vega.
When it got dark, Jupiter was almost too bright to view
although you could still see surface detail.

"rat ~( ); >" <ratboy99@aol.com> wrote in message
news:1187664095.996487.190300@i13g2000prf.googlegroups.com...
> One thing that really put a damper on my observing this summer was how
> low Jupiter ran, and how poor the views were all summer long. Here,
> I've got these fancy refractors, and every time I set one up, just
> dissapointment. To be fair I didn't go out more than a handful of
> times, but the view in the 4.1" refractor was about as good as it got
> all summer long.
>
> I remember my first telescope, twelve years ago or so, an 8" SCT, and
> Jupiter was in the same place, I blamed the telescope for much of the
> lack of discernable detail. Now I feel that it was certainly a
> combination. Tantalizing smudges, hinting at structure. I did see the
> GRS a few times this summer.
>
> On the upside, it will only get better in the next few apparitions.
>
> When's Mars coming again?
>
> I heard it was going to be as big as the Moon this time around.
>
> rat
> ~( );>
>
> Viva La Esse Esse Ah
>

Date: 21 Aug 2007 09:32:50
From: rat ~( );>
Subject: Re: Jupiter This Summer: Was it as bad for you as it was for me?

On Aug 20, 10:38?pm, Llanzlan Klazmon the 15th
<Klaz...@llurdiaxorb.govt > wrote:
>
> I recall a guy used to post here named something like CHASP who lived in
> Florida claimed to always use 600 or 1000 power for viewing planets with his
> Zambuto equiped Dob. Must be serious steady air there.

Yeah, Chas.

He had some tall tales.

Wonder where he's been.

rat
~( ); >

Date: 21 Aug 2007 21:24:23
From: William R. Mattil
Subject: Re: Jupiter This Summer: Was it as bad for you as it was for me?

rat ~( ); > wrote:
> On Aug 20, 10:38?pm, Llanzlan Klazmon the 15th
> <Klaz...@llurdiaxorb.govt> wrote:
>> I recall a guy used to post here named something like CHASP who lived in
>> Florida claimed to always use 600 or 1000 power for viewing planets with his
>> Zambuto equiped Dob. Must be serious steady air there.
>
> Yeah, Chas.
>
> He had some tall tales.

So you didn't believe him either ?

Bill

Date: 20 Aug 2007 23:06:12
From: decaf
Subject: Re: Jupiter This Summer: Was it as bad for you as it was for me?

Date: 20 Aug 2007 21:26:59
From: rat ~( );>
Subject: Re: Jupiter This Summer: Was it as bad for you as it was for me?

On Aug 20, 9:54?pm, Gladys Jenkins <wini...@wildhogs.org > wrote:
> "rat ~( );>" wrote:
> > One thing that really put a damper on my observing this summer was how
> > low Jupiter ran, and how poor the views were all summer long. Here,
> > I've got these fancy refractors, and every time I set one up, just
> > dissapointment. To be fair I didn't go out more than a handful of
> > times, but the view in the 4.1" refractor was about as good as it got
> > all summer long.
>
> > I remember my first telescope, twelve years ago or so, an 8" SCT, and
> > Jupiter was in the same place, I blamed the telescope for much of the
> > lack of discernable detail. Now I feel that it was certainly a
> > combination. Tantalizing smudges, hinting at structure. I did see the
> > GRS a few times this summer.
>
> > On the upside, it will only get better in the next few apparitions.
>
> > When's Mars coming again?
>
> > I heard it was going to be as big as the Moon this time around.
>
> > rat
> > ~( );>
>
> > Viva La Esse Esse Ah
>
> well Jup raised my soul and has all year, nice long apparition for
> a change plus I finally put time in collimating the club C16 since
> we had our good scope stolen for other purposes by the 'wise
> men of the club' so we are down to the old C16 and its that or nothing. Im
> the only MORON in the club that would tackle its
> push pull collimation so I set in and I am glad to report Ive used
> Jupiter along with stars for fnal evaluation ..... because I had to!
> Rain set in in May and has not stopped since! So at times its Jupiter
> through the clouds or nothing. Last Sunday night band detail was
> great, right through the 100% humidity and haze/fog. So Jupiter
> has been my soulmatre all year long for the first time ever, and Im
> grateful to the gods. Just me, the C16, Jup, and the cyotes. (and
> the neighbor's dog full of fleas at Pal Dows.)

Yeah, some good haze can be just what the doctor ordered for observing
Planets.
Around here it's usually twinkle, twinkle little star...

rat
~( ); >

Date: 20 Aug 2007 22:54:41
From: Gladys Jenkins
Subject: Re: Jupiter This Summer: Was it as bad for you as it was for me?

"rat ~( ); >" wrote:

> One thing that really put a damper on my observing this summer was how
> low Jupiter ran, and how poor the views were all summer long. Here,
> I've got these fancy refractors, and every time I set one up, just
> dissapointment. To be fair I didn't go out more than a handful of
> times, but the view in the 4.1" refractor was about as good as it got
> all summer long.
>
> I remember my first telescope, twelve years ago or so, an 8" SCT, and
> Jupiter was in the same place, I blamed the telescope for much of the
> lack of discernable detail. Now I feel that it was certainly a
> combination. Tantalizing smudges, hinting at structure. I did see the
> GRS a few times this summer.
>
> On the upside, it will only get better in the next few apparitions.
>
> When's Mars coming again?
>
> I heard it was going to be as big as the Moon this time around.
>
> rat
> ~( );>
>
> Viva La Esse Esse Ah

well Jup raised my soul and has all year, nice long apparition for
a change plus I finally put time in collimating the club C16 since
we had our good scope stolen for other purposes by the 'wise
men of the club' so we are down to the old C16 and its that or nothing. Im
the only MORON in the club that would tackle its
push pull collimation so I set in and I am glad to report Ive used
Jupiter along with stars for fnal evaluation ..... because I had to!
Rain set in in May and has not stopped since! So at times its Jupiter
through the clouds or nothing. Last Sunday night band detail was
great, right through the 100% humidity and haze/fog. So Jupiter
has been my soulmatre all year long for the first time ever, and Im
grateful to the gods. Just me, the C16, Jup, and the cyotes. (and
the neighbor's dog full of fleas at Pal Dows.)

Good luck - - -

Date: 20 Aug 2007 20:36:30
From: rat ~( );>
Subject: Re: Jupiter This Summer: Was it as bad for you as it was for me?

Make that "16 arcsec _Ain't_ that bad"...

> 16 arcsec and that bad when you're hard-up. I'll go ahead and start
> cautiously looking forward to it.
>
> rat
> ~( );>

Date: 20 Aug 2007 20:26:25
From: rat ~( );>
Subject: Re: Jupiter This Summer: Was it as bad for you as it was for me?

On Aug 20, 9:17?pm, Llanzlan Klazmon the 15th
<Klaz...@llurdiaxorb.govt > wrote:
>
> Hey it's our turn down under to get winter oppositions of Jupiter. You will
> have to wait a bit Rat!
>

So was Jupiter pretty good down there this apparition?

> Well the next opposition of Jupiter isn't favourable for the Northern
> Hemisphere either. Check out Jupiter's declination next July, things will
> improve for you in 2009.

Oh well, I should have checked. Here in the Rocky Mountains, at 40 deg
N, I live under the Jet stream much of the time, and for something to
really be decent, it needs to be about 45 degrees above the horizon.
As soon as it starts to drop you can watch the high power images fall
apart minute by minute. That's the main reason I opted for refractors
for Planets, there usually isn't anything to see from here that isn't
visible in a good 8" aperture. My 10" Zambuto equipped Newt is seeing
limited 99.9999% of the time. ONE TIME, I saw what it could do on
Jupiter, this lasted for a fraction of a second, or perhaps it was
even a full second. I'll never forget it.

> > When's Mars coming again?
>
> Around Christmas this year. A lousy opposition for us down south but not that
> great up North either as Mars only gets to about 16 arcsec.
>

16 arcsec and that bad when you're hard-up. I'll go ahead and start
cautiously looking forward to it.

rat
~( ); >

Date: 21 Aug 2007 16:38:59
From: Llanzlan Klazmon the 15th
Subject: Re: Jupiter This Summer: Was it as bad for you as it was for me?

"rat ~( ); >" <ratboy99@aol.com> wrote in
news:1187666785.097442.193870@m37g2000prh.googlegroups.com:

> On Aug 20, 9:17?pm, Llanzlan Klazmon the 15th
> <Klaz...@llurdiaxorb.govt> wrote:
>>
>> Hey it's our turn down under to get winter oppositions of Jupiter. You
>> will have to wait a bit Rat!
>>
>
> So was Jupiter pretty good down there this apparition?

It has been when the weather has cooperated. We've had a lot of cloud this
winter :-(.

>
>> Well the next opposition of Jupiter isn't favourable for the Northern
>> Hemisphere either. Check out Jupiter's declination next July, things
>> will improve for you in 2009.
>
> Oh well, I should have checked. Here in the Rocky Mountains, at 40 deg
> N, I live under the Jet stream much of the time, and for something to
> really be decent, it needs to be about 45 degrees above the horizon.
> As soon as it starts to drop you can watch the high power images fall
> apart minute by minute. That's the main reason I opted for refractors
> for Planets, there usually isn't anything to see from here that isn't
> visible in a good 8" aperture. My 10" Zambuto equipped Newt is seeing
> limited 99.9999% of the time. ONE TIME, I saw what it could do on
> Jupiter, this lasted for a fraction of a second, or perhaps it was
> even a full second. I'll never forget it.

I recall a guy used to post here named something like CHASP who lived in
Florida claimed to always use 600 or 1000 power for viewing planets with his
Zambuto equiped Dob. Must be serious steady air there.

Date: 21 Aug 2007 15:17:36
From: Llanzlan Klazmon the 15th
Subject: Re: Jupiter This Summer: Was it as bad for you as it was for me?

"rat ~( ); >" <ratboy99@aol.com> wrote in news:1187664095.996487.190300
@i13g2000prf.googlegroups.com:

> One thing that really put a damper on my observing this summer was how
> low Jupiter ran, and how poor the views were all summer long. Here,
> I've got these fancy refractors, and every time I set one up, just
> dissapointment. To be fair I didn't go out more than a handful of
> times, but the view in the 4.1" refractor was about as good as it got
> all summer long.

Hey it's our turn down under to get winter oppositions of Jupiter. You will
have to wait a bit Rat!

>
> I remember my first telescope, twelve years ago or so, an 8" SCT, and
> Jupiter was in the same place, I blamed the telescope for much of the
> lack of discernable detail. Now I feel that it was certainly a
> combination. Tantalizing smudges, hinting at structure. I did see the
> GRS a few times this summer.
>
> On the upside, it will only get better in the next few apparitions.

Well the next opposition of Jupiter isn't favourable for the Northern
Hemisphere either. Check out Jupiter's declination next July, things will
improve for you in 2009.

>
> When's Mars coming again?

Around Christmas this year. A lousy opposition for us down south but not that
great up North either as Mars only gets to about 16 arcsec.

>
> I heard it was going to be as big as the Moon this time around.

;-). There is the lunar eclipse on the 28th Aug. You can pretend you are
looking at Mars when the moon is in the Earth's shadow!

Klamzon

>
> rat
> ~( );>
>
> Viva La Esse Esse Ah
>
>

Date: 20 Aug 2007 22:04:20
From: William R. Mattil
Subject: Re: Jupiter This Summer: Was it as bad for you as it was for me?

rat ~( ); > wrote:
> One thing that really put a damper on my observing this summer was how
> low Jupiter ran, and how poor the views were all summer long. Here,
> I've got these fancy refractors, and every time I set one up, just
> dissapointment. To be fair I didn't go out more than a handful of
> times, but the view in the 4.1" refractor was about as good as it got
> all summer long.
>
> I remember my first telescope, twelve years ago or so, an 8" SCT, and
> Jupiter was in the same place, I blamed the telescope for much of the
> lack of discernable detail. Now I feel that it was certainly a
> combination. Tantalizing smudges, hinting at structure. I did see the
> GRS a few times this summer.
>
> On the upside, it will only get better in the next few apparitions.
>
> When's Mars coming again?
>
> I heard it was going to be as big as the Moon this time around.

2 Full moons. <g >

And yes ... Jupiter just wasn't a big deal for me either. Either
spending too much time imaging ARP's or clouds and rain. Winter and
Planets ! Now that's the ticket.

Regards

Bill

>
> rat
> ~( );>
>
> Viva La Esse Esse Ah
>