Jupiter minus its moons!

Was just out the back there to catch the
'dissapearance'of Jupiters moons.
It made for very odd viewing.
We are so used to seeing the bright disk flanked
By the 4.
Through binos all I could see was the 'disc'
I checked the web there and two are in transit and
Two are behind.
Seems its a once in a centuary or so event.
Couldnt get the scope out as clouds are over now
Cool sight none the less.
Anyone else see it / photo it?

Barberskum wrote:

Was just out the back there to catch the
'dissapearance'of Jupiters moons.


Seems its a once in a centuary or so event.

Was it? Balls... I didn't even know about it! To be honest, my astronomical endeavours have been rated zero between work and bad weather. Did you recount anything else about Jupiter Frank? Nice spherical shape? What power binos did you use?

Seanie.

congrats Frank on seeing the planet -- in fact, well done to anyone getting observing in at the moment considering the Met Office's report saying that the Summer of 2009 was another washout!

The Galilean moons were probably extremely close to Jupiter's limb when you had a peek at the planet because the actual "moonless" event was to take planet after Jupiter-set from Ireland.

Details from my Sky-Guide 2009 booklet;

"The planet is without a visible Galilean moon on the morning of September 3rd but Jupiter will have set an hour earlier for observers in Ireland! All the moons will either be transiting the disk or occulted by the planet for a brief period from 04h 44m to 06h 30m. The next favourable occasion from here will not occur until 2033" (I'll be 67 years old then!)

All the best and hope to see everyone at the Burren Star Party.

john

you cought a gap in the clouds, fair play !
no luck here.

I caught a gap in the clouds Tuesday night and went for C/2006 W3 Christensen, but it's too dim to be seen in 18x70s (at least with the moon out).

Afterwards I spent a few minutes with Jupiter, which was nice in the 18x70s. You could make out the two principal bands, and the color was quite rich, but that's about it. (All 4 moons were visible at the time.)

Cheers,
-- Jeff.

Your correct John.
I just got a chance to check Starry Night there and at around 2:30 am when
I observed it they were just nearing the limb.
Still couldn't see them in the binos.
I was tempted to haul out the 10'' but the clouds were moving so
fast I thought I'd be wasting my time.
Glad I didn't now as we here in Sunny Ireland would have missed it.

I did get to see Mars & Venus around 5am,
it was nice to see our old friends again.
Mars looks nice an bright these mornings but Venus - Wow!
I must have been -4, quite spectacular.

I can remember bidding farewell to Orion not so long ago in the
vain hope of a nice summery summer.
Still, nice to see him also.