Post by Chicago Astronomer - Astro Joe on Jun 6, 2005 21:58:42 GMT -6
If the skies stay clear, we will be able to catch the slender crescent Moon joining Saturn, Venus and Mercury this week.
From Sky and Telescope:
June 9th
Another double shadow transit on Jupiter, this one best for the West Coast. Europa's tiny shadow starts crossing Jupiter's face at 10:20 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time, followed by Io's just 9 minutes later. Io's shadow then passes Europa's as they cross the disk. It departs at 12:39 a.m.
Friday morning PDT. "Here's the kicker," writes David Likuski from northern California. "For a few minutes after Io's shadow starts crossing, all four sights — the two moons and two shadows — will be transiting the disk. That isn't too common!" The moons themselves, however, are generally hard to see against Jupiter's bright clouds.
Saturday, June 11
This is a busy evening among Jupiter's moons for small-telescope users; bring this timetable out with you. From 7:57 to 10:07 p.m. EDT, Io casts its tiny black shadow onto Jupiter's face. Around 8:43 p.m. EDT, Ganymede fades out as it disappears into eclipse by Jupiter's shadow barely off the planet's eastern limb. Io itself moves off of Jupiter's face 14 minutes later, at 8:57 p.m. EDT. Europa reappears from eclipse around 10:39 p.m. EDT, followed by Ganymede right next to it at 11:11 p.m. EDT.
Meanwhile, Jupiter's Red Spot transits around 10:10 p.m. EDT.
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Chicago Astronomer Steve and I caught a transit of Io recently while at the usual location by the Adler, and I must say...it's quite a cool event to witness.
From Sky and Telescope:
June 9th
Another double shadow transit on Jupiter, this one best for the West Coast. Europa's tiny shadow starts crossing Jupiter's face at 10:20 p.m. Pacific Daylight Time, followed by Io's just 9 minutes later. Io's shadow then passes Europa's as they cross the disk. It departs at 12:39 a.m.
Friday morning PDT. "Here's the kicker," writes David Likuski from northern California. "For a few minutes after Io's shadow starts crossing, all four sights — the two moons and two shadows — will be transiting the disk. That isn't too common!" The moons themselves, however, are generally hard to see against Jupiter's bright clouds.
Saturday, June 11
This is a busy evening among Jupiter's moons for small-telescope users; bring this timetable out with you. From 7:57 to 10:07 p.m. EDT, Io casts its tiny black shadow onto Jupiter's face. Around 8:43 p.m. EDT, Ganymede fades out as it disappears into eclipse by Jupiter's shadow barely off the planet's eastern limb. Io itself moves off of Jupiter's face 14 minutes later, at 8:57 p.m. EDT. Europa reappears from eclipse around 10:39 p.m. EDT, followed by Ganymede right next to it at 11:11 p.m. EDT.
Meanwhile, Jupiter's Red Spot transits around 10:10 p.m. EDT.
------------
Chicago Astronomer Steve and I caught a transit of Io recently while at the usual location by the Adler, and I must say...it's quite a cool event to witness.