Impact scar – Astronomy Sketch of the Day

The King’s Scar

Jupiter and Wesley Impact Scar
Sketch and Details by Michael Kießling

Two times I could see the Wesley Inpact Scar, first time on Aug. 1 at 3:55 CEST, second time on Aug. 4 at 0:45 CEST. Seeing was poor, (4-5/10 Pickering), but there were some useful moments for drawing. I used my TMB 130/780 refractor, magnification was 195x. I saw the Impact Scar as a faint spot, a little diffuse on its west margin and sharper in east. – In the lower sketch you see right beside the NTB/GRS the 5m.9 star 45 Cap minutes before its occultation by Jupiter.

Object Name: Jupiter with Wesley Impact Scar
Object Type: Planet
Location: Melbeck, Germany
Time: 2009 August 1 and 4

CS and best regards,

Michael Kießling

Jupiter’s blemish Shearing Away

Jupiter and Wesley Impact Scar
Sketch and Details by Michael Rosolina

I made another observation of the Wesley impact site in the early morning hours of August 3rd. Jupiter was rising but still low as the impact scar neared the preceding limb so I did not get the best view of the King of Planets. In spite of conditions, I could see that the impact plume had expanded and dimmed. I haven’t tired of seeing this debris cloud in the Jovian cloudtops.

The sketch was done at the eyepiece with 2B and HB pencils on photocopy paper. I flipped the drawing digitally to give the “classic” south up, preceding to the left view before I added the text. Notes are with the sketch.

Thanks,

Michael Rosolina

Jupiter and Wesley Impact Scar
Planet
Friars Hill, WV USA
03 August 2009

Jupiter Wearing its New Mark

Jupiter and Wesley Comet Impact Scar
Sketch and Details by Frank McCabe

Finally after several attempts I was able to capture the new look of Jupiter with its Wesley impact scar still visible. Clear skies were predicted for my area but it wasn’t looking good when I set up at sundown. Scud clouds were moving across my area most of the night and when they went through the sky near Jupiter’s position they made the planet boil. I increased my chances for success by using an aperture stop on the 18″ inch scope, to more than double the f ratio and reduce the aperture to an unobstructed 8 “.
The scar was well past the ideal viewing position at the time I began sketching but it was clearly visible in intervals of average seeing.

Sketching:

8/5/2009 5:15 – 6:00 UT
Scope used 18″ f/5 masked to 8” f/10.5
Eyepiece used: 9mm UO ortho. For 222x
Sketch made on copy paper using graphite pencils
HB, 4B and 6B, and a blending stump.
Contrast increased +2, brightness decreased -2 using the scanner
Seeing: 5/10 for short intervals
Transparency 2/5

Frank McCabe

Jupiter and WCIS in the Limelight

Jupiter, Callisto and the Wesley Comet Impact Scar
Sketch and Details by Jeremy Perez

Jupiter put on a great show tonight!

The impact feature is still hanging on and was readily visible through my 8 inch Dob at 120X and 240X. The best part was the addition of a beautiful shadow transit with Callisto hanging just outside Jupiter’s following limb. It also provided a nice contrast for comparison of the two spots. Callisto’s shadow was strikingly black, while the impact scar appeared more as a soft feature that seemed to take on the brownish color of the surrounding clouds. I spent more time getting a feel for the impact site itself, and did detect a horizontal elongation and slightly condensed appearance.

I had a couple moments of incredibly good seeing that showed up a lighter patch north of the impact scar and corresponded well to the position of a white spot in the area. I did not detect this as a hard oval, just as a subtle brightening in the area. Midway through my observation, high clouds moved in and foiled my attempts to finish up detail on the preceding edge before it rotated out of view, so the equatorial belts are a little plain in that part of the sketch. I finished the observation just as Callisto was dipping into Jupiter’s profile. What a great view!

Subject Jupiter, Callisto, Impact Scar and Shadow Transit
Classification Planet
Position* Capricornus [RA: 21:49:16.7 / Dec: -14:15:27]
Size* 48 arcseconds (Equatorial diameter)
Brightness* -2.8
Date/Time JUL 23, 2009, 2:00 – 3:30 AM
(JUL 23, 2009, 09:00 – 10:30 UT)
Observing Loc. Flagstaff, Arizona, USA – Home
Instrument Orion SkyQuest XT8 Dobsonian (203 mm dia./1200 mm F/L)
Eyepieces/Mag. Pentax XW10 + 2X Barlow (240X)
Conditions Mostly clear, occasional high clouds, humid
Seeing Ant. II-III
Transparency Mag 5.8 NELM
*Sources Starry Night Pro Plus 5.8.2

Jupiter and Wesley Comet Impact Scar

Jupiter and the Wesley Comet Impact Scar
Sketch and Details by Carlos E. Hernandez

I made an observation of Jupiter showing the Wesley Comet Impact Scar (WCIS) over the South Polar Region (SPR) of Jupiter. The impact scar appeared bi-lobed with extensions and a tail.

Date (U.T.): July 24, 2009
Time (U.T.): 05:00
L1 231.5, L2 206.1, L3 298.8
Ds 0.5, De 0.2, Diameter 48″ (Equatorial)
Instrument: 9-inch (23-cm) F/13.5 Maksutov-Cassegrain
Magnification: 248x and 388x
Filters: None
Seeing (1-10): 7, Antoniadi (I-V): II
Transparency (1-6): 4

Notes:
North Polar Region (NPR): Appears dark to dusky (3-4/10) and mottled. No other detail is visible within.
North Temperate Zone (NTZ): Appears shaded to bright (6-7/10) without any detail visible within it.
North Temperate Belt (NTB): Appears to be divided into two thin, dusky (4/10) components (North and South) with a bright (7/10) middle zone. A dark (3/10) elongated condensation is noted along the northern border of the northern component towards the preceding limb.
North Tropical Zone (NTrZ): Appears bright (7/10) without any detail visible within.
North Equatorial Belt (NEB): Appears dark to shaded (3-4/10) with dark condensations (3/10) and bright rifts (7/10) noted within it. Dark (3/10) barges (rods) are noted along the northern border (NRB-N) and blue festoons along the southern border (NEB-S).
Equatorial Zone (EZ): Appears bright (7/10) with a thin, dull (5/10) band over the middle portion (equator). Very bright (8/10) ovals are noted over it’s northern half along the North Equatorial Belt (NEB).
South Equatorial Belt (SEB): Appears dark to dusky (3-4/10) with the southern component (SEB-S) thicker than the northern component (SEB-N). The South Equatorial Belt Zone (SEBZ) appears a pastel orange color with thin, dull (5/10) columns extending between the northern and southern components.

South Tropical Zone (STrZ): Appears bright (7/10) with a thin, angled dusky (4/10) projection over it’s preceding half extending from the northern border of the South Temperate Belt (STB-N).
South Temperate Belt (STB): Appears dark to dusky (3-4/10) with a thin, shaded (6/10) section (zone?) over it’s southern half which contains four bright (7/10) ovals within it’s southern portion.
South Polar Region (SPR): Appears dark to dusky (3-4/10) and mottled. The Wesley Comet impact Scar (WCIS) noted along the central meridian (CM). The WCIS appears very to extremely dark (8-9/10), bi-lobed (smaller southern component than northern), with dusky to dull (4-5/10) projections (“wings”), and thin, dusky (4/10) projection (“tail”) to the north. The WCIS reminds me of the impact scars produced by Shoemaker-Levy 9 in 1994.

The Galilean satellites visible are (preceding to following) Ganymede (4.48m), Callisto (5.51m), Io (4.90m), and Europa (5.17m).

I made a sectional sketch of the Wesley Impact Scar (WCIS). The impact scar appeared as described above (bi-lobed, projections (“wings and a tail”). The preceding end of the impact scar was timed at 05:00 U.T. (L2 206.1/L3 298.9), center (05:09 U.T., L2 211.6/L3 304.3), and following end (05:22 U.T., L2 219.4/L3 312.1).

Jupiter and Wesley Comet Impact Scar closeup

Sectional view of Jupiter and the Wesley Comet Impact Scar
Sketch and Details by Carlos E. Hernandez

The best of luck in your own observations/imaging of Jupiter and the Wesley Comet Impact Scar (WCIS).

Digital images produced in Photoshop CS3.

Carlos

A Smudge on the King’s Face

Jupiter with Wesley Comet Impact Scar
Sketch and Details by Richard Handy

About mid evening, Jupiter was a bright beacon of pale yellow as it rose over the rocky ridge covered in sagebrush in the small border desert town I now call home. Somewhat disappointed at the boiling image presented by the telescope, I resolved to return in a few hours. I hoped by then that my instruments would thermally stabilize and the seeing would improve so I could attempt a sketch of the Wesley Comet Impact Scar (WCIS). After hearing about this very rare impact cloud only a few days previously and seeing all the fine photographs and a few excellent sketches, I very much wanted my chance to draw it. When I resumed my session early in the morning the following day, Jupiter was nearly at culmination, it’s highest elevation as it crosses the meridian, so I started my sketch. In the south polar region the impact scar was an easily visible though subdued feature, it appeared as a dark lobe with with a “tail” like trail that faded to the south east. As I finished my preparation sketch, I thought about the impact and how just about every object we see, whether a star, planet, moon, asteroid or comet is created in a process of accretion. The sheer size and power of an event like this is a sobering reminder that the same power that creates all these bodies can destroy as well. I certainly I hope that you are able to observe or sketch this incredible event while it lingers in the shearing winds of the Jovian atmosphere.

Webmaster’s note: Generally, the webmasters here at ASOD are reluctant to post their sketches because we would prefer to showcase the talents of others. However, due to the strong interest in the Jupiter Wesley Comet Impact Scar, and the special request of teacher, astro sketcher and good friend Michael Rosolina, I decided to submit my sketch. Please consider taking the time to sketch this event and submit it to ASOD so that we can help document it’s evolving appearance.

My special thanks to Carlos E. Hernandez for his help with the photoshop adjustments to the final sketch image.

Jupiter’s New Facial Feature

Jupiter with Wesley Comet Impact Scar
Sketch and Details by Juan Perez

OBJECT: Planet Jupiter
DATE: July 29, 2009
TIME: 1:30 LST / 8:30 UT
LOCATION: Harquahala mtns, near Aguila Arizona USA
INSTRUMENT: Celestron CPC1100 w/ 40,32,25 and 10mm Plossl’s
DETECTOR: Visual sketch
MAGNITUDE: -2.8
WEATHER: Clear sky, moderate winds, temp. 95deg F
COMMENTS:

After the monsoon season, We’ve had some very cooperative days or nights in the sense of clear and dark skies for those of us here in Arizona. Of course most of you know, the
impact scar first found on Jupiter by the Australian amateur astronomer has now been seen by virtually everyone interested in this field or hobby. I finally got a chance to haul my
CPC 1100 to a dark and remote site in the Harquahala mountains.
At sunset, I began to set up but had to wait and give Jupiter a chance to rise higher from the horizon and to lessen the effects that turbulent hot air has on the seeing.
Patience and counting Aquarids helped me kill a few hours while allowing Jupiter to rotate and start showing its scar. My attempt at searching took several tries since I could not detect the tiny blotch or dark patch on the Southern Polar Region. Once it came into view, I waited for it to position itself in front of the planetary disk.(about 1:30 am LST)
The scar is easily detectable with the CPC 1100, I used various Plossl’s interchangeably to get different views and details. Tha scar has taken and elongated appearrance and seems to be in the vicinity of 5 or 6 arcseconds in length. North from the impact site is a noticeable white round storm very small in comparison to the scar.Two and a half or so hours later, the scar
rotated out of view and the show was over but, the visual experience and excitement will last for many days. I hope the impact scar can linger for many more days too so that more people can have a chance to look and enjoy this -out of this world- phenomenon.
By the way, I counted over 60 Aquarids in the span of about 5 hours !! “juanchin”

Jupiter and Wesley Impact Scar

Jupiter and Wesley Impact Scar
Sketch and Details by Michael Rosolina

I am happy to add to the record of this historic event. I was fortunate to finally get the opportunity after several false starts. The drawing was done at the eyepiece with HB and 2B pencils and a blending stump on photocopy paper. Other notes are with the sketch.

Jupiter and Wesley Impact Scar
Planet
Friars Hill, WV USA
28 July 2009

Michael Rosolina

Wesley Comet Impact Scar on Jupiter

Wesley Comet Impact Scar on Jupiter
Sketch and Details by Dale Holt

In response to your call for sketches of the very
exciting Jupiter impact Scar. It seems that I just caught it
yesterday morning 03.20 ut. Not a stunning drawing by any means but
a personal record that I shall cherish.

Warmest regards, Dale

Newtonian view South is up

Webmaster’s note: Sketchers are very much encouraged to submit their observations of the WCIS to ASOD so that we can help document this amazing event.

Jupiter with Impact Scar

Jupiter with Impact Scar
Sketch and Details by Jeremy Perez

On July 19, 2009, amateur astronomer and planetary imager, Anthony Wesley discovered a striking new feature on Jupiter. A dark spot had suddenly appeared in the south polar region. Although it might have been a new weather feature, it actually appeared very similar to the impact scars created when fragments of comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 struck Jupiter in July of 1994. Quick analysis by professional observatories confirmed that this new feature was indeed an impact scar.

Sleep deprivation and heavy clouds prevented me from attempting it visually on the morning of July 20th. But tonight I was able to spend time with Jupiter in hopes of seeing the feature as it transited a little after midnight local time (July 21). As the scope cooled down, I worked on adjusting my eyes to details in the cloud belts. By 12:10 AM, the seeing was improving, and Jupiter had rotated enough to make it clear that I was detecting a soft, dark spot near the southern pole. Through our own fluttering atmosphere, I was actually seeing the debris cloud of an immense impact on Jupiter that had happened perhaps as recently as two days ago.

Over the next 45 minutes, I sketched the position of the impact scar, and all the other features I could detect. In that time, the spot transited Jupiter and crept along steadily with planet’s rapid rotation. At times I’ve wished that I had taken up observing sooner so that I could have seen Shoemaker-Levy 9 pepper Jupiter with my own eyes. And what do you know, 15 years later, it’s been hit again.

Subject Jupiter with Impact Scar
Classification Planet
Position* Capricornus [RA: 21:50:07.2 / Dec: -14:10:38]
Size* 48 arcseconds (Equatorial diameter)
Brightness* -2.8
Date/Time JUL 21, 2009, 12:20 – 1:05 AM
(JUL 21, 2009, 07:20 – 08:05 UT)
Observing Loc. Flagstaff, Arizona, USA – Home
Instrument Orion SkyQuest XT8 Dobsonian (203 mm dia./1200 mm F/L)
Eyepieces/Mag. Pentax XW10 + 2X Barlow (240X)
Conditions Mostly clear, humid
Seeing Ant. III
Transparency Mag 5.8 NELM
*Sources Starry Night Pro Plus 5.8.2