JUPITER 2012/2013 SEASON

By Christopher Go

Jupiter starts this season with a huge upheaval in the northern hemisphere.

All images were taken using a Celestron  C14  mounted on an AP900GTO mount.  A  Point Grey Research Flea3 cameras was used.  RGB is done using a set of Chroma Techonology LRGB filters ona Homeyer Motorized filter wheel.  Methane band images are done using a Custom Scientific Methane Band filter (889nm  18nm bandpass) provided to me by the University of California at Berkeley.  UV images are done using a Astrodon UV filter.   Amplification is done using an Astrophysics Convertible Barlow working at 2.5X.

Image acquisition was done using  Torsten Edelmann's Firecapture 2.2 software.  All images are NORTH UP!   The Flea3 is controlled by a Thinkpad T520 through a Firewire B adapter.  Processing was done using AutoStakkert and Registax.

These images were taken at Banilad,  Cebu City, Philippines. 

For more information on the names of various belts and zones of Jupiter and the meaning of the abbreviations I use please check the Sky and Telescope Jupiter Observing Guide.

All images of this site are my property.  If you wish to publish it on your site or print, please email me for permission.

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JUNE-OCT 2012	Jupiter with my C8
NOV-DEC 2012
JAN-MAR 2013

Seeing was very bad again.   Imaging Jupiter is very tough now because Jupiter is getting to be very low!

The Great Red Spot can be seen and it has a very strong color.  The wake of the GRS is very complex.  The NEB looks quiet in this region.  The NNTZ LRS can be seen.

Seeing was terrible today. 

Oval BA is prominent in this image.   The SEB is still complex in the IR image.  Rift are also visible in the NEB.

I had a lucky break today.  Seeing was acceptable.  I was able to get some acceptable image despite the rough condition.  Jupiter is below 30 deg now!

This is the area following the Great Red Spot.  The SEB looks chaotic.  Note the bright spot on the NEBs inside an EZ festoon.  The NEB looks quiet here.  Note the dark spots lining up north of the NNTZ.

Condition is getting tough for Jupiter imaging.  Jupiter is now below 30 deg.  While imaging, I was attacked by insects!

This is the area between the GRS and Oval BA.  Oval BA can be seen setting on the right.  Note the interesting wake of Oval BA.  Note the bright area on the mid-SEB close to the CM preceding the GRS.  This feature has been prominent for the past year.

The NEB looks quiet.  Note the two dark barge on top of each other just north of the NTB.

Jupiter is getting lower and lower.  Conditions were terrible today.  Jupiter was less than 30 deg when I took these images.  This will probably be my last week with Jupiter.  But I will try to image as long as I can.

The GRS can be seen along with it's wake. The NEB looks quiet.    The NNTZ LRS can also be seen.  Io is the moon right next to Jupiter.

Condition was perfect this evening!   What a way to end my most  productive month this season!  Jupiter is getting very low now but seeing was just great!

The Oval BA can be seen peeking out on the  left.  The SEB looks very complex while there are multiple rifts on the NEB.  Note a rift forming on the NTBn.  The activity of the NTB seems to be on it's northern part. 

Condition was terrible today.  Seeing was very unstable.

This is the region after the GRS.  The GRS and NNTZ LRS are setting on these images.  The wake of the GRS can be seen w while the NEB looks quiet.

Seeing was  a bit unstable this evening because my OTA wasn't cooled enough.  Jupiter was only 25 degrees when I made the last image!

Oval BA can be seen close to the CM.   Note the complex region following BA with the dark features and the 3 white spots.  The SEB looks very complex.   There are rifts on the NEB.

Seeing was good this evening.  Jupiter's altitude was in the 30s when I took this image.  In fact , the first image was taken 3min after sunset!

The first image shows Jupiter and Oval BA are already far apart!  Oval BA can be seen setting on this image.  Note the interesting dark wake of Oval BA!   Note also the white ovals following BA.

The bright feature on the SEB preceding the GRS is still  there.  Just curious what this is.    The GRS is rising on this image.  The dark center and the dark edge ring is obvious. 

The NEB looks complex and dark.  The NTBn is still dark while the red color of the NTB seems to be fading.  Note the dark spots lining up on the NNTZ.

Jupiter is getting tough to image as it gets lower and  closer to the sun!  Seeing was okay at the start of the session but deteriorated as Jupiter got close to our roof.

The GRS can be seen in these images.  Note the darker red core and the dark ring at the edge of the Great Red Spot.  The wake of the GRS is very complex.  Note the outbreak at the north west side of the GRS. 

The NEB is wide and dark.  Note the large dark feature on the NEBn at the CM.  The NNTZ LRS can also be seen at the CM.

Seeing was good this evening until Jupiter got too low.

Oval BA can be seen.  Note the small ovals following.  BA still has a very strong color.  The SEB is very complex.

The NEB is active in this region.  Note the rifts on the NEB.  The NTBn is very dark.    Note the huge oval feature on the NNNTB.

Seeing was just okay this evening.  I was only able to image until Jupiter was close to our roof.

The wake of the GRS can be seen in this image.   The SEB continues to be very complex.  The NEB looks quiet in this region.  The White Oval Z can be seen rising on the left.  The NTBn continues to be dark. 

Seeing was perfect this evening.   Unfortunately, clouds rolled in when I was capturing the Methane Band image.

The GRS is very well resolved.  There is a lot  of details in and around the GRS.   Note the dark core of the GRS and a dark red ring on the edge of the GRS.   Note the white spot immediately north of the GRS on the Halo of the GRS.  Note also the small dark spot preceding the GRS on the 3:00 position.  Note that these may be associated with the small spots lining up on the STB.  The GRS wake is  very complex. 

There are a lot of complex rifts on the NEB.  The NTB is wide.  The NNTZ LRS can be seen rising on the  upper left.

I wasn't expecting much this evening.  Transparency was very poor.  But seeing was surprising good.

The GRS is setting on this image.  Note the complex wake of the GRS.  Europa can be seen on the STrZ following the GRS. 

The NEB is wide.  Note the red spot on the NEBn close to the CM. The NTB is wide in this region.  The NNTZ LRS can be seen in this image.

Seeing was unstable  this evening.  I was able to catch a series of  images for Jupiter.

The White Oval Z can be seen in this image.    The NEB looks quiet.  White the SEB is very complex.  Note the small dark ovals just north of the NTB.

Seeing was good this evening.  But only had a few moments of it before conditions deteriorated.

The GRS is rising on these images.  The area following Oval BA looks complex.  Oval BA is at the edge of the disk setting.

The NEB is active with outbreaks and rifts.  The NTB has a weaker color now.  The NTBn continues to be active.

Seeing was bad this evening.  This is probably due to the hot roof of  our house.  Jupiter is very low now only 43deg.

The White Oval Z on the NEBn can be seen setting on this image.  Note the small  red spot on the NTBn.  The SEB looks complex.

Imaging was tough this evening.   There were a lot of clouds around Jupiter.  But there was a brief clearing.  Transparency was very variable.

The GRS can be seen setting on this image.  Note the dark core which is prominent on this image.  The wake of the GRS is very complex.  The NEB is dark and with some dark ovals on it.  The NNTZ Little Red Spot can be seen at the CM.  The NEB has a lighter color in this region. 

Condition was terrible this evening.  These was haze and thin clouds.  Transparency was very poor.   This is where derotation saved the day!   By taking a lot of images and derotation, I was able to get a decent image for the night. 

Oval BA can be seen rising in these images.   The SEB looks very chaotic.  There is a bright outbreak spot on the NEB.  The NTBn is still very active.

I had an exciting imaging session this evening.  When I started imaging at twilight, there were thin clouds around Jupiter.  After doing my first round, clouds started rolling in.  Just realized that this Jupiter season is almost over.  Jupiter is now very close to the roof of the house!

The White Oval Z is very prominent in the NEBn.  Will this spot evolve into a northern version of the Great Red Spot?  The NTBn is still very active.  The SEB is very choatic.  Note the white ovals on  the north north temperate region.

Seeing was good this evening although there were thin clouds that reduced transparency.

The Great Red Spot (GRS) is the highlight this  evening.  It is well resolved! Note the darker inner oval inside the GRS.  Note the dark edge around the GRS which seem to be broken on the left side.  Note the bright projection on the northern part of the GRS making its way to the SEB. The wake of the GRS is very chaotic.  There are two outbreaks very close the the GRS.

There is a bright rift in the NEB.  Even the EZ looks chaotic with waves resolved in this image.  The NNTZ LRS can be seen on the upper left.

Seeing was excellent this evening. 

Oval BA is prominent in these images.  Note the dark features around BA.   The small white ovals following BA are separated by a dark bands. 

The SEB looks complex. The bright feature on the SEB is still there.  There is an outbreak on the NEB.  While the NTBn has a lot of activity going on.

Another night of excellent seeing!

The White Oval Z (WOZ) is very distinct in the NEBn.  This spot seem to be growing bigger!  Note the three bright outbreaks on the NEBs.

The NTBn is very complex. Note the trio of tiny ovals forming a triangle on the NTBn.  Note the little  light red spot on the NNTZ.  This spot is very bright in IR and CH4.

The SEB is very dark and complex.

Happy Easter everyone!  It was first cloudy at the start of my session.  But sky cleared but there was still  some haze.

Note the white three oval on the NNTZ.  Will they merge?  The NTBn is very active with the dark barges and a disturbance like feature.

The NEB looks quiet.  The WOZ can be seen setting.  This large oval is bright in Methane band.

The SEB is very complex.