Folks with telescopes might want to haul them out and look at Jupiter this month. I've just spent an hour or two observing it thru my little Orion 4.5 inch Dobsonian reflector and had some of the most incredible views I've ever seen of it. The atmosphere over Avondale was steady enough that I could use maximum magnification which is very rare and I was able to see five cloud bands clearly. The two equatorial belts of course were well defined but so were two more fainter bands in one hemisphere and another in the other one. Watching that along with the four Gallilean moons strung out like a line of pearls, three on one side, one on the other was fantastic. I think I'm going to try and observe it regularly this month and see if I can note any significant changes.

- Peter.

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2021 Chevrolet Spark
Formerly...
2000 GMC Sonoma
1981 240D 4spd stick. 347000 miles. Deceased Feb 14 2021
2002 Kia Rio. Worst crap on four wheels
1981 240D 4spd stick. 389000 miles.
1984 123 200
1979 116 280S
1972 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1971 108 280S

You are lucky to be able to enjoy this worthwhile pastime.. Enjoy!


Coincidentally, today I was listening to the movement entitled "Jupiter" from Gustav Holst's "The Planets, Op.32".

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1991 560 SEC AMG, 199k <---- 300 hp 10:1 ECE euro HV ...

1995 E 420, 170k "The Red Plum" (sold)

2015 BMW 535i xdrive awd Stage 1 DINAN, 6k, <----364 hp

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No telescope, how clear is the view? I've never looked through one... i'm weird... I know

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hum.....
1987 300TD 311,000M Stolen. Presumed destroyed

The kid got his Meade out last night. Very clear from here as well. Wish I was set up to photograph it.

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You're a daisy if you do.
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84 Euro 240D 4spd. 220.5k sold
04 Honda Element AWD
1985 F150 XLT 4x4, 351W with 270k miles, hay hauler
1997 Suzuki Sidekick 4x4
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Two great lines from this thread:
"Jupiter is magnificent tonight" -- I can imagine a be speckled astronomer approach a geeky girl in a bar with that line.

"The kid got his Meade out last night" -- The boy is a fledgling berserker!

What Mead does he have? I wish I had a better setup. The Orion is a very nice scope. Well made and optically great and it's a nice portable size and weight but it would be wonderful to finally have a motor driven scope with photographic ability.

I did take a pic last night by holding my I-phone up to the eye piece. Jupiter itself was just an overexposed blob but I got the four moons in nicely.

- Peter.

__________________
2021 Chevrolet Spark
Formerly...
2000 GMC Sonoma
1981 240D 4spd stick. 347000 miles. Deceased Feb 14 2021
2002 Kia Rio. Worst crap on four wheels
1981 240D 4spd stick. 389000 miles.
1984 123 200
1979 116 280S
1972 Cadillac Sedan DeVille
1971 108 280S

Probably a better approach than to mention Uranus in the same context.

My favorite Playboy cartoon from my childhood showed a craggy old astronomer peering intently into his gigantic telescope in an observatory. Just as his lovely young assistant in a mini skirt bent over to file something in a cabinet on the opposite side of the room, the old guy shocked her by remarking, "Oh yes. I can see Uranus quite clearly tonight."

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