Jupiter’s Close Approach
If you have clear skies this weekend, now’s a great time to get out and observe the largest member of our solar system. Jupiter reached opposition to the Sun on May 4th, and will be closest to the Earth tonight, May 6th.
On May 6th, the date of closest approach, Jupiter will be 410 million miles away, which is almost 200 million miles closer than it was just six months ago in October. This makes Jupiter unusually big and bright.
Look for it rising in the east at sunset. Jupiter is unmistakable, shining ten times brighter than any star around it. The view through a backyard telescope is dynamite. You can see Jupiter’s cloud belts, the Great Red Spot and four large moons (Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto) circling the planet.
May 11th will offer prime viewing as well, as Jupiter and the full Moon will rise together and keep close company all night as they span the sky. See the above article for a sky map.
Through a telescope, Jupiter should be a visual stunner, but you don’t need high-end optics to spectate. Jupiter’s four largest moons, Calisto, Io, Europa, and Ganymede, are visible through most binoculars. Sky & Telescope magazine offers an excellent observing guide as well as a handy javascript utility you may use to identify who’s who between the big four Galilean satellites: Chasing the Moons of Jupiter.
If you do own a telescope with decent aperture, you might be able to see Jupiter’s Great Red Spot as well as a relatively new stormy oval, affectionately dubbed “Red Junior.” The Hubble Telescope recently released new images highlighting these features:
This new image of Jupiter’s full disk was taken by the Hubble Telescope’s Advanced Camera for Surveys at 18:42 UT, April 16, 2006. It nicely highlights the Great Red Spot and newly developed “Red Jr.” The image was taken in visible light and at near-infrared wavelengths, and does not represent Jupiter’s true colors. The red color traces high-altitude haze blankets: the equatorial zone, the Great Red Spot, the second red spot, and the polar hoods. Credits: NASA, ESA, I. de Pater and M. Wong (University of California, Berkeley). See the full Hubble press release for more.
7 Responses to “Jupiter’s Close Approach”
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Wish my camera took pics like that! Awesome details!
Awesome! I don’t have a telescope, just a pair of 15×70 binoculars. I cannot make out detail on the service (obviously), but all four moons are easily visible even with the bright moon. I missed it last night because it was cloudy. Crystal clear right now. I hope it holds up another few hours.
Storms (and clouds) ruined my observing plans last night as well, but hopefully the pesky atmosphere will cooperate for both of us.
nice image here, the poles are looking different in this image.
spots appears to be a proof of cyclones on jupiter ?
That’s a lovely image of Jupiter, false colors aside, the blue bands are aesthetically pleasing. Ironically, when I returned home to open my mail, the Planetary Society apparently sends members 8×10 photo-cards of the planets (and yes, Pluto is included). The Jupiter photo is the true-color image that Cassini took in 2000–more muted, but still very pretty, and as close to how the human eye would see it, so they say.
That’s a simple, but aptly nice thing to include rather than yet another writing pad or such with my name on it, though I admit I like the cards all the animal organizations send out, so I mail them to people. Free advertising for the non-profits.
on the 21st youll see lol hahahha haxored111!!!eleventy!!111one!!!!
jupiter is 200 million miles closer? wont the warth be ripped apart by tidal forces?