Brilliant Jupiter has now returned to our evening sky with help from the ending of daylight savings time. From Chicagoland it will be seen to rise tonight (November 2) at 23:35 CST. It will rise about four minutes earlier each evening until it reaches opposition from the Sun on 2015 FEB 06 when it will rise at sunset.
The orbital planes of Jupiter’s four great Galilean satellites nearly coincide with Jupiter’s orbital plane. Every six years there occurs a period in which the Earth and Sun are also near those planes. That allows for us to view mutual occultations, transits and shadow transits among those satellites that do not necessarily involve Jupiter. We’re in one of those periods right now.
I’ve determined that this coming morning (November 3) satellite #4 Callisto will partially transit larger #3 Ganymede with 36% of the latter’s diameter covered at 12:59:02 UT (06:59:02 CST). At the same time the shadow of #2 Europa will be transiting Jupiter. These will be predawn events for western North Americans and daytime events for observers to the east. Jupiter can still be seen in the daytime with a telescope and sometimes by naked eye.
On my Jupiter webpage are two previews related to the above described events. I also provide a nightly timetable of events involving Jupiter and its Galilean satellites and their shadows. And I present a graphical demonstration of the satellites’ positions throughout each night.
My Jupiter and Galilean satellite graphics can be found at www.CurtRenz.com/jupiter
Photos and descriptions of these Jovian events would be welcome additions to this thread.
The orbital planes of Jupiter’s four great Galilean satellites nearly coincide with Jupiter’s orbital plane. Every six years there occurs a period in which the Earth and Sun are also near those planes. That allows for us to view mutual occultations, transits and shadow transits among those satellites that do not necessarily involve Jupiter. We’re in one of those periods right now.
I’ve determined that this coming morning (November 3) satellite #4 Callisto will partially transit larger #3 Ganymede with 36% of the latter’s diameter covered at 12:59:02 UT (06:59:02 CST). At the same time the shadow of #2 Europa will be transiting Jupiter. These will be predawn events for western North Americans and daytime events for observers to the east. Jupiter can still be seen in the daytime with a telescope and sometimes by naked eye.
On my Jupiter webpage are two previews related to the above described events. I also provide a nightly timetable of events involving Jupiter and its Galilean satellites and their shadows. And I present a graphical demonstration of the satellites’ positions throughout each night.
My Jupiter and Galilean satellite graphics can be found at www.CurtRenz.com/jupiter
Photos and descriptions of these Jovian events would be welcome additions to this thread.
