UPDATED: Venus: banded, dusky markings visible

CLICK HERE FOR AN INDEPENDENT VISUAL OBSERVATION MADE BY PAUL ABEL USING PATRICK MOORE'S 12.5" REFLECTOR AT SELSEY, UK.

                           Drawing                                        Intensity Estimate 

ALPO Report - Venus, 12 January 2012:

Banded dusky markings visible
South Cusp-Cap brighter
South Cusp Cap larger
North and South Cusp-Bands both visible
No dark hemisphere illumination
Limb band not visible
Terminator geometrically regular
Terminator shading visible
No atmospheric features detected

Saluting comet Garradd

This is a sketch of comet "Garradd" when it passed the Coathanger asterism in the constellation of Vulpelca last year at 20:14 UT on 3rd September 2011.  Part of the Brocchi's cluster is included. The brightest star in the upper left corner (size is equivalent to magnitude) of the sketch is 5Vul (mag. 5.6). 

At the time the comet had a small bright coma, symmetrical, round and evenly washed out shape. The rather broad but short tail was possible to spot under averted vision.  At the time the comet was moving pretty fast. 

NGC 869 under perfect seeing

I like visiting the double cluster when visible in the night winter sky. Both clusters are roughly circular, one having a slightly brighter and more condensed core than the other looser one, and they are magnificent under the low power of an 8" SCT. I usually spend quite a bit of time savouring the complexity and beauty of these two clusters and switching off with a mental photograph of this celestial wonder.

Tonight I decided to use all the observation time available to sketch the looser cluster, since this offered a less of a challenge than the other cluster. The chosen cluster fitted nicely in the field of view of the 25mm plossl. The weather was excellent, with a mild northerly wind and low relative humidity, making the visibility better than the usual. Under a faint red light, I used a 2B pencil to mark the distribution of the bright stars, followed by the fainter ones. At the heart of the cluster I could notice a faint glow which I included in the sketch.

It was difficult to record down the coloured stars, and I decided not to include any colour. It took me around 15 minutes to complete the sketch.

Celebrating the new year 2012

It was a clear night this first evening of 2012. I decided to keep the session simple by making a visual observation of this great planet. Seeing was great.  I used the binoviewer with 2 celestron 12mm plossl. Filters used were green on the left and orange on the right eyepiece. This resulted in great visual detail, as shown by the intensity sketch.

At the time of sketch the GRS was coming into view. Interesting detail was its clear and active wake. The NEB looked very narrow and the dark barges are still very evident and conspicuous alongside NEBn. Festoons were barely visible in the EZ.

An active south equatorial band

The night sky on Nov 22nd was clear but thermally unstable. The observation session was very short due to poor seeing at high power.

The upper image was taken using at f/10, and has been rescaled to show a similar image as seen through the telescope with a 10mm eyepiece.

The bottom image composite was taken with a DMK monochrome camera, f/25, using lumicon slide filter and Astronomik type-2c filters and Baader IR pass contrast booster.

The NEB seems to be calm and quite narrow. Note the small dark spot on the NEBn near to CM.

The SEB is very active unlike the NEB. This activity is spatially connected to the GRS (not shown on this image). Note the wide dark band on the STB and small white oval in the SPR.

The EZ is very active.

See reference guide for Jupiter surface nomenclature.

Check out other Jupiter images on November 22nd  here.

Jupiter's Opposition with Earth on October 28th

The Jupiter and Europa image was captured using DMK21AU04 monochrome camera and filters (RGBL). The images were captured using IC Capture and processed with Registax 6. Instrument used C8 f/25. Fps: 30, 45secs. Seeing 4/10

What is striking in this combined image is the complexity of the SEB texture, with a conspicuous darker streak extending horizontally from the GRS (not visible), and the dark swirls next to the STropZ.

See reference guide for Jupiter surface nomenclature.

Check out other Jupiter images on October 28th here.

Jupiter's detail under good seeing conditions

The Jupiter and Europa image is a combined CCD image using DMK21AU04 monochrome camera and SPC900 (RGB). The images were captured on October 21st 2011 between 19:18 and 19:30 UTC using IC Capture and SharpCap and processed with Registax 6. Instrument used C8 f/25.

Seeing conditions were good.

Starting from the North (top):

Prominent regular dark ovals seen in line with the NNTBn jet next to the central meridian.

NEB looks narrow. The bright red barges in NEBn remain active and prominent. NTropZ has a slight bluish hue.

The EZ looks very complex, with prominent festoons made more visible by the Baader filter.

The SEB texture is very rich, with a conspicuous darker streak extending horizontally from the GRS (not visible).

Major activity is seen within STZ on the F side. Small white ovals are seen in SPR.

See reference guide for Jupiter surface nomenclature.

Check out other Jupiter images on October 21st here.

Io orbiting Jupiter

The Jupiter and Io image is a combined CCD image using DMK21AU04 monochrome camera (L) and SPC900 (RGB) both with IR block filter. The captured this image on October 7th 2011 at 22:13UT using IC Capture and SharpCap and processed with Registax 6. Instrument used C8 f/25.

Seeing conditions were unstable. 

Starting from the North (top):

NEB looks narrow. The dark red spots in NEBn remain active and prominent. NTropZ has a alight bluish hue.

Two major prominent dark ovals are observed in the NEB. 

The EZ looks quite complex, with a prominent festoon extending along the central meridian. 

The SEB texture is very rich, with no conspicuous white ovals. 

Major actiuvuty is seen within STZ on the F side. Small white ovals are seen in SPR.

See reference guide for Jupiter surface nomenclature.

Check out other Jupiter images on October 7th here.

Interesting activity in NEBn region

Seeing was unstable. North at top.

NEB looks narrower. The dark red spots in NEBn remain active and are still prominent.
Dark 'swirls' outcrop from the central dark red spot which extend horizontally in both directions along the NEBn.

NTropZ has a distinctive bluish hue, and seems to be interacting with NEBn region next to central dark red spot.

EZ looks active.

Large JrGRS seen coming into view in STZ on F side.

Small white ovals are seen aligned in STZ on the P side of the meridian.

See reference guide for Jupiter surface nomenclature.

Check out other Jupiter images on October 1st here.

A shot of a still distant Mars

This is my first Mars image alongside the simulation for September 17th at 02:22UT.

The Planet is still very distant, and seeing conditions were far from optimal. Mars' altitude is still low prior to sunrise, at which point is strongly influenced by turbulence. 

Some interesting features can be seen. Amazonis and Arcadia are bright. The dark region of Mare Erythreum is evident next to the brighter Chrysae. NPC is not clearly evident in the image.