Jupiter is remarkable to the opposition

Jupiter, in prime time, will be presented this month when the planet will face opposition on June 10.

In recent weeks Jupiter threw a seductive look into the southeast sky. Before going to bed, I was looking in his direction and was discussing the possibility of taking out the telescope, but I stopped myself abruptly to convince myself that he was still too low for a good look. I finally gave in last weekend and observed it two nights in a row. Ha – the view was absolutely horrible! The big yellow planet waved in turbulent air like a flag in the wind, but that did not matter. I finally had to respond to his invitation.

On June 10, Jupiter will be in opposition and will be the brightest and closest to Earth for the year. Brilliant at a magnitude of -2.6, it has an equatorial plump diameter of 46 ", only 4.1" shorter than its maximum apparent size. In astronomy observation, bigger and brighter means almost always better, the reason why the coming months are the best time of the year to rock your telescope using the planet. Although it rises at sunset, it still takes time to climb high enough to have a good view. For the moment, it is around 11:30. local time, but at the end of the month, Jupiter stands at 20 ° height before the end of twilight.

Its declining south this season means that low-level turbulence will hinder observers from the north-north latitudes. Try to observe each night clear if you can, to better capture the calm and steady nights when the planet is stable and clear.

Something for everyone

With well-worn 10 × binoculars, you can pretend to be Galilee and rediscover your four brightest moons – Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto. They look like tiny stars "stuck" on either side of the planet. If you do not have the means to mount binoculars on a tripod, use the roof of your car or rotate them against a corner of a building to stabilize your window.

Jupiter really shines in a telescope, and you do not necessarily need a big telescope. Engraved in my brain cells is the image of a sharp, shiny disc striped with two dark belts and accompanied by four star-shaped moons through my 2.4-inch refractor in the winter of 1966. A reflector of 6 inches will allow you all the secrets of the planet.

When the air is calm and the viewing conditions allow, you will be able to distinguish the North and South Equatorial (ONB / SEB) belts plus half a dozen narrower cloud belts and areas which separates them. They are all almost parallel, making the planet look like a slice of Greek baklava dough, one of my favorite desserts. The areas define colder air regions topped with white-colored ammonia ice clouds. The descending gas defines the darker belts; It is believed that their dark red color is due to traces of sulfur, phosphorus and other organic compounds.

The iconic Great Red Spot (GRS) of Jupiter has declined over the last few decades and currently covers about 1.3 Earth, but it remains colorful and easy to see at 100 × and more in full vision. This season, jet throws in the SEB and South Temperate (STZ) zones have taken off the GRS in the same way that you could peel an orange. More on that in a moment.

Jupiter does not have a solid surface. Nothing but clouds and time, so you never know exactly what you will see when the eyes meet. It's the charm of the planet, aided by the antics of its moons. When they are magnified to 150 × or more, they lose their star appearance and show discs ranging in size from 1.0 "to 1.7" (current opposition). Europa is the smallest and Ganymede the largest.

Ganymede also projects the largest shadow at the top of the planet's clouds as she passes Jupiter. Transits from the shadow are visible at least once a week with "double transits" – two moons simultaneously projecting shadows – occurring once or twice a month. The shadow of Ganymede looks like a bullet, while that of the little Europa looks more like a pin stitch. The moons also disappear and reappear for several minutes as they enter and leave Jupiter's shadow during eclipse. Or a moon can be occult near the jovian disc and glide to the edge of the planet like a pearl before disappearing.

You will find a complete list of all the eclipses, transits and occultations of 2019 by downloading Sky and telescopeThe phenomena of the moons of Jupiter pdf. You can also get daily forecasts for moons and a diagram showing their relative positions by consulting the online tool for observing Jupiter's moons. To predict when the big red spot is better visible, see Transit Time of the Big Red Jupiter Spot.

Jupiter is a colorful planet with belts of different shades of red, rust and gray. The Equatorial Zone (EZ) is normally white, but is currently experiencing a clearing clearance that exposes a lower level of pale brown clouds. With a magnification of 100 × or more, watch for comma-like dark festoons that extend from the inner edge of the NEB (very dark) to the south in the Eurozone. At first glance, the ONE may look dark gray to the eye, but if you look at it more closely, you'll notice that it 's actually in fact. a dark rust or even brick red.

The Great Red Spot retains its orange-red hue as in recent years, a color shared by the volcanic moon encrusted with sulfur Io, the only brilliant satellite of Jupiter to display a distinctive color. When we see badly, the GRS is only an orange spot and looks rather small. But in a calm air, you'll see the "moat" of lighter clouds called the Red Spot Hollow. Before the point (celestial west), the SEB is divided into 3 or 4 closely parallel bands, but following point (east), we currently see a belt in front, riddled with turbulent textures parallel to a finer band to the north .

Changes in the big red spot

Jets in the SEB and South Temperate zones have been tearing pieces of GRS in recent weeks, altering the shape of the spot from time to time. As of June 2, the winds will carry a portion or "flake" of the GRS to the southeast. Although astronomers have already observed such activities before, they occur much faster than usual. Combined with the narrowing of the spot, some of us wonder if the days of this centenary storm are numbered.

Larger telescopes show more detail inside and between the cloud belts and make it easier to see the moons themselves as they transit the Jupiter record. If you have a 12 inch or larger telescope, try to spot a 5th moon – Himalia. Himalia is the sixth largest moon of Jupiter, with 170 kilometers in diameter, but its magnitude reached only 15.0 at this opposition. Its extended and inclined orbit (29.6 ° relative to the equator of Jupiter) moves it away from the planet. On the night of the opposition, the moon is about 17 minutes south of Jupiter and is hard to distinguish from the light of the planet. Wait until the end of July, when his separation will reach nearly 1 ° to try the blow.

To find Himalia, create a map using sky calculation software such as Stellarium. If you use this particular program, be sure to download additional star catalogs in order to extend its magnitude range to 15.

How about a little bonus while you are in the neighborhood? The brightest and easiest to see, Ceres, is only a week after the opposition and shines at magnitude 7, about 15 degrees west of Jupiter, in Scorpius. You can easily find it in binoculars located a few degrees north of the magnificent double star Beta (β) Scorpii (a.k.a Graffias) using the map provided.

Relax on the mosquito repellent and enjoy a peaceful night at Jupiter's knees.