Evening of July 4th

[terrynak]

Fireworks died down by 11:30PM on the evening of July 4th, so I went back outside, this time with a 70mm F/12.9 Meade Polaris:



Note that the "Do Not Look at the Sun" label is still strung on the focuser screw - haven't bothered to take it off since I got the scope.

Used 100x, 120x and 143x.

• Full Moon – the glare makes it hard to see relief features on most of the western lunar limb. However, on the north-west just across from Aristarchus, Struve, Russell and Eddington are visible as lava flooded remains of previous impacts, looking like bays not unlike Sinus Iridum To the south, the striped floor of Schickard (lighter in the middle) is more striking than in the previous night.

• Jupiter – some detail visible on the equatorial bands, again a dark spot (not a shadow transit) visible on equatorial band; southern polar region prominent.

• Saturn – as in previous night, equatorial banding and Cassini Division evident.

• Mars – as in previous night, polar cap prominent.

Pleased with the planetary views through the 70mm ‘frac. Didn’t see much of a difference with the views from the 5” Newt.

[John Baars]

Well observed with your 70 mm!
I suppose the dark spot was a festoon-base?
Thanks for your report!

[Makuser]

Hi Terry. Another nice report using the 70mm refractor. Congratulations on spotting the Cassini Division on Saturn, and John is on target as that dark spot on Jupiter might be a festoon storm starting. Thanks for your fun read observing report Terry, and the best of regards.

[terrynak]

Well observed with your 70 mm!
I suppose the dark spot was a festoon-base?
Thanks for your report!

Thanks John, you're welcome! I'm gonna have to take a closer look at Jupiter and that spot...

Hi Terry. Another nice report using the 70mm refractor. Congratulations on spotting the Cassini Division on Saturn, and John is on target as that dark spot on Jupiter might be a festoon storm starting. Thanks for your fun read observing report Terry, and the best of regards.

Thanks Marshall, you're welcome! Need to take a closer look at that storm starting, maybe tonight.

[John Baars]

I think I observed the same spot yesterday, a dark spot was quite obvious. I saw some structure in it, the spur of the real festoon was barely visible.
I did the observation with my 150mm f/5 achromat, (not really a planetary scope, on the contrary): a rather yellow Jupiter with a blue rim. Still, more than enough details.

Picture by : WinJupos.

[terrynak]

I think I observed the same spot yesterday, a dark spot was quite obvious. I saw some structure in it, the spur of the real festoon was barely visible.
I did the observation with my 150mm f/5 achromat, (not really a planetary scope, on the contrary): a rather yellow Jupiter with a blue rim. Still, more than enough details.

Thanks for the update John! I took a look at Jupiter last night with the same scope shown in the OP, but could no longer see the spot.

[Bigzmey]

Nice session Terry! I was observing Jupiter on the same night around 11pm. GRS was visible but close to the planet rim. It likely went out of view by 11:30.

[Buckethead 2.0]

I have never thought of it until now, but does the GRS ever move to the not visible side of Jupiter, or is it always facing Earth?

[Bigzmey]

I have never thought of it until now, but does the GRS ever move to the not visible side of Jupiter, or is it always facing Earth?

GRS rotates around Jupiter, so it faces the Earth half of the time. Considering Earth day and night pattern and Jupiter rise and set times you don't get to see GRS every night.

[Buckethead 2.0]

I have never thought of it until now, but does the GRS ever move to the not visible side of Jupiter, or is it always facing Earth?

GRS rotates around Jupiter, so it faces the Earth half of the time. Considering Earth day and night pattern and Jupiter rise and set times you don't get to see GRS every night.

Thank you, Bigzmey.

[KingNothing13]

Thank you, Bigzmey.

I believe Jupiter has a ~10 hour day, so ~5 hours it will face us, and the other ~5 it is on the other side.

[Buckethead 2.0]

Thank you, Bigzmey.

I believe Jupiter has a ~10 hour day, so ~5 hours it will face us, and the other ~5 it is on the other side.

Thanks, Brett.