Look at Jupiter
If you haven't looked at Jupiter recently, drag out your scope and check it out! I was amazed at the views I got tonight (Friday) with my 8" scope. I always look at Jupiter if it is visible (I usually use it to set my finderscope). But tonight's view knocked my socks off! I could clearly see the two dark bands, but I could also see two thin white bands as well as "bumps" in the lower dark band. I think one of the bumps may have contained The Great Red Spot, but I'm not sure. Is there a web site that I could check to find out the location of the Red Spot at that time to see if it is where I thought it might be? I hope the good viewing continues into next Saturday for the star party.

Roberta

Sorry.....I meant to post that in the Solar System topic.

Roberta, your descriptions of the "bumps" along one of the bands in Jupiter's cloud belts indicates just what kind of viewing you had last night. ANYTIME you can make out these bumps you've got truly great "seeing", that magical time we all hope for whenever we set up to observe. Be thankful, and remember just how everything looked because this should turn out to be the standard by which you'll measure all the other nights until you catch the next one. Remember that you'll only have a small handful of nights like this per year, usually only 10-15. There might also be 3-5 nights/year when the "seeing" is even a little better.

I did some research and found a site for you and everyone else to check out for seeing ANY planetary events. Want to know which of Jupiter's Galilean Moons is which? Or which of Saturn's 5 to 6 tiny moon's is which? Or even when Jupiter's GRS (Great Red Spot) is in view? Then go to Sky & Telescope through our links, find and click on Observing, then Celestial Objects, then Planets. You'll pull up a list of all kinds of subjects for which celestial data is available.

Just to make it easy for you and anyone else who's interested, I've copied the page address below. When the page comes up for you, you'll need to input the time you were observing and any other information that may be required, but this way you can instantly find out if one of those "bumps" was Jupiter's GRS.

(Hint: The GRS is always in the upper, or top cloud belt since the view is inverted and reversed through reflecting telescopes)

Good luck, Roberta ! And keep up the good work......


http://skyandtelescope.com/observing/objects/planets/article_107_1.asp

Thanks for the link! I tried it out and it was easy to use and understand. Unfortunately, the Red Spot wasn't visible when I was observing. Also, the bumps I saw were on the bottom.

It was a great night for observing!! I also looked at the Beehive Cluster and the double star in Gemini.

Roberta

Roberta, on May 15th, comet C/2001 Q4 NEAT will be just below the Beehive Cluster, M-44. The next night, it will be just above the Beehive. Easy for anyone willing to set up with a good WSW horizon. May 10th and 11th see Q4 passing Procyon, the brightest star in Canis Minor and the "top" star of the winter triangle as it sets.