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
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
Jupiter and his moons
Sketch and Details by Janusz Krysiak
Object Name:Jupiter and his moons
Object Type:Planets
Location:Koluszki(Poland)
Date:21.06.2009(1.50 a.m.)
medium: pencil, white paper
equipment: Newton 300/1500
magnification: 214x
Hi,
While I had been observing the sky between 1.30am and 2.00am on
21.06.2009. I saw something that amazed me. When I had been looking at
Jupiter I wasn’t able to find Io…, than I understood – it was hidden
behind Jupiter! I had been waiting untill Io showed itself. It was a
magnificent view!!! I just loved it!!! Here is a sketh that tries to
show You what I saw. I hope You like it.
Janusz Krysiak
The Moon and Jupiter over Pyrnik
Sketch and Details by Janusz Krysiak
Object Name:Moon & Jupiter
Location:Pyrnik(Poland)
Date:14.06.2009(3.20 a.m.)
medium: pencil, white paper
Hi,
These are Moon and Jupiter. This was a beatiful view. I made this sketch
on 14.06.2009(3.20 a.m.) in Pyrnik(Poland).
Janusz Krysiak
The Moon and Jupiter in Conjunction
Sketch and Details by Carlos E. Hernandez
I was able to view the Waning Crescent Moon (24.7 days old) and the planet Jupiter in the early morning sky on April 20, 2009 (08:30 U.T.). Gray-lavender clouds were passing over the Moon giving it a muted pastel-yellow color, an eerie effect. The planet Jupiter (-2.17m) hung like a beacon towards the southwest approximately 10 degrees from the Moon. The Moon was approximately 7 degrees above the horizon while Jupiter was 11.5 degrees.
A digital image produced using Gimp (2.6).
Planets Jupiter and Saturn
Sketch and Details by Janis Romer
Janis wrote:
“6/11/86, 9pm – midnight. Temple University’s Ambler Campus Celestron-14. I was so busy drawing that I entirely forgot to record eyepieces and observing conditions.”
This splendid pair of color pastel sketches captures many of the main attractions of Jupiter and Saturn as seen at the eyepiece in late spring of 1986. At that time Saturn was in the southwestern sky while Jupiter was in the southeast. – Frank McCabe
Crescent Moon and Planet Gathering
Sketch and Details by Carlos E. Hernandez
I was fortunate to have witnessed the grouping of the Moon, Mercury, and Jupiter again on December 29, 2008 (23:15 U.T.) with the addition of Venus. The Waxing Crescent Moon was now above the pair of Mercury and Jupiter. Mercury (-0.75m) was approximately 7.5 degrees above the western horizon, Jupiter (-1.51m) ~10 degrees, the Moon ~15 degrees, and Venus (-4.25m) ~33 degrees. Earthshine was easily visible over the unilluminated portion of the Moon. This grouping was very striking against a pastel blue sky with lavender clouds below over the western horizon.
A digital image produced using Gimp.
Conjunction of the Moon, Venus and Jupiter
Sketch and Details by Carlos E. Hernandez
I made a naked eye observation of the Waxing Crescent Moon (3.76 days old), Venus, and Jupiter over the southwestern sky on December 1, 2008 (22:45 U.T.). The trio was paired between a pair of trees and pastel orange clouds. It was a very impressive sight. I hope that others were able to view it as well.
A digital observation made using Photoshop CS3.
Carlos
Occultation of Venus by the Moon
Sketch and Details by Deirdre Kelleghan
Meade LX 90 FL 2000mm
35mm eyepiece = 57X
Dec 1st 2008 – Greystones Co Wicklow Ireland
Freezing
Pastels/Conte on FineArt Pastel Velour Paper
15:35 – 17:10 approx too cold to time with any great regard
Venus was shining like a million dollar jewel in the early evening sky.
The young moon hung low in milky blue atmosphere, giant Jupiter watched the
visually stunning occultation unfolding below.
As it got darker more and more detail became visible on the crescent moon.
Between finishing the Venus vanishing sketch and the reemergence of Venus
I put as much lunar detail as possible in the time and under the conditions as I could.
The view as Venus reappeared and once again sparkled like a diamond stuck on the moon was breathtaking .
I quickly place the planet as accurately as I could and then continued to enjoy the view
along with my fellow observers, Michael, Philip, Aubrey, and Keith, awesome afternoon.
Deirdre Kelleghan
President
Irish Astronomical Society 1937 – 2007
Public Relations Officer IFAS
Oscail do Shuile D’iontas na Cruinne
Open Your Eyes to the Wonder of the Universe
Jupiter, Io and Europa
Sketch and Details by Carlos Hernandez
I made an observation of Jupiter on August 3, 2008 using my 9-inch F/13.5 Maksutov-Cassegrain. Much detail was noted over the planet, especially the South Equatorial Belt (SEB) and Great Red Spot (GRS). The seeing conditions were above average (6/10) for a short time before the clouds came in and ended my observing session. I welcome any comments that you may have on my observation.
Date (U.T.): August 3, 2008
Time (U.T.): 05:00
L1 016.2, L2 179.5, L3 177.6
Diameter (Equatorial): 46.4″
Instrument: 9-inch (23-cm) F/13.5 Maksutov-Cassegrain
Magnification: 273x
Seeing (1-10): 6, Antoniadi (I-V): III
Transparency (1-6): 5
Notes:
South Polar Region (SPR): Appears dark to dusky (3-4) and mottled.
South Temperate Zone (STZ): Appears thin and shaded to bright (6-7/10).
South Temperate Belt (STB): Appears dark (3/10) and thin. No ovals visible within it.
South Tropical Zone STrZ): Appears bright (7/10) with a dark (3/10), oval-shaped albedo feature following the central meridian (CM) and preceding the Great Red Spot (GRS).
Great Red Spot (GRS): Appeared dusky (3/10) and salmon-pink with a white central core.
South Equatorial Belt (SEB): Appeared dark to dusky (3-4) and containing dark (3/10) dark condensations along it’s northern border and bright (7/10) undulating sections (strips) within it.
Equatorial Zone (EZ): Appeared shaded to bright (6-7/10) with a thin, dusky (4/10) band across the center of it.
North Equatorial Belt (NEB): Appeared dark (3/10) and thin with a dark rod (barge) on the CM along it’s northern border.
North Tropical Zone (NTrZ): Appeared bright (7/10), but no other detail visible within it.
North Polar Region (NPR): Appeared dark to dusky (3-4/10) and mottled.
