Planet Jupiter - your homework for the school holidays

[Skywatcher]

Ok I'm not the only one witha camera on thi site and tonitght it is going to be clear and moonless so planets are off the menu but over the next few weeks - 7-8, Jupiter is going to reach 'opposition' which means the time of year whn it is biggest and brightest in the nights sky.

It currently rises in the South of England at about 9.30 - 10 pm in the Southeast and skirts the rooftops to the south over the night - it wont get very high but much better than last year (the higher the better)

It is an unmistakeable huge bright star like object it almost looks like a disc with the naked eye - it will not twinkle

If anyone has a camera with manual focus and manual shutter speed and a tripod you should be able to take a pic that will show the planet and 1 or 2 of its moons - ANY DSLR will be able to do this with pretty much any size lens

1 Focus - thiis is the tricky partwind the focus all the way out and then back a smidge - take plants of test shots until the stars and planet are in focus

2. practice with different ISO and shutter lengths - too short and you wont get anything too long and you will get 'trailing as the earth is spinning too fast

it is easy and I look forward to seeing your efforts

Keith I am looking in your direction young man.......:yes:

Last year when there was a cnjunction I took this in the back garden with the 350d and the lens that came with the camera

from getting home to setting up and taking the pic took 15 minutes

If you look at Jupiter (top right) it may look like just a blob but the tiny blobs next to it are 2 of its moons!!!

Have a pop I'd love to see your efforts

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb84/sidleydoc/conjunctionmoonvenusjupitersmall.jpg

[Dawn]

:mental:

[ukwdwnut]

oooooooo cool i will be out there tonight....thx chris :D

[Keith]

Keith I am looking in your direction young man.......:yes:


I know you are :taunt: but I just can't find anything! I'm utterly useless. I think I need a skywatcher one-to-one observation tutorial :D

I'll get out there and try though! :yes:

[ukwdwnut]

I know you are :taunt: but I just can't find anything! I'm utterly useless. I think I need a skywatcher one-to-one observation tutorial :D

I'll get out there and try though! :yes:

i think we need a skywatcher home meet tutorial :wink: :lol:

[Skywatcher]

If and when I move to my dream house in the country with dark skies you will al be most welcome

best time to look tonight if you have clear skies will be around midnight to the south southeast - it will look like a beacon and like nothing else in the sky

me- I'll be doing nebulas tonight if all the gear works ;)

[ukwdwnut]

:D do you need help with the mortgage :lol:

doubt we will get clear skies tonight. the heavens have just opened and we now have a thunderstorm :(

[mumof2]

oh cool, Jupiter time!

You could do tutorial workshops at your dream home in the country! I'll come! :yes:

[Dawn]

I fell asleep on the sofa. :(

[lozzy]

If and when I move to my dream house in the country with dark skies you will al be most welcome

best time to look tonight if you have clear skies will be around midnight to the south southeast - it will look like a beacon and like nothing else in the sky

me- I'll be doing nebulas tonight if all the gear works ;)

It is amazing to look up in the night sky when there are no street and house lights, hope you get your dream home. I'll be visiting.:thumbsup:

[ukwdwnut]

:( i couldnt get out it was raining and had a thunderstorm too :(

[justme]

aww i didn't see this yesterday would have loved to of had a look for it :(

[Keith]

too cloudy here :(

[ukwdwnut]

i saw it on sat night showed mikey as it was totally cloudless and he was in awe and didnt believe me lol

[lozzy]

Went out tonight and this is the shot I got,

3897

I forgot to say we also saw shotting stars while looking at jupiter.

[Dawn]

I was staring out the bedroom window at Jupiter last night. :mental:

Awesome pic Lozzy. :D

[Skywatcher]

Awesome Lozzy :thumbs:

Hopefully get a clear night this week

[simonwebb74]

Just seen this thread!! The wife is going to try this week to see what photos she can get.

[Skywatcher]

:laugh:

last time I referred to my Lisa as 'the wife' I ended up regretting it

It is unmistakable and rises South east at about 9 ish and is Due South by Midnight it is like Nothing else in the sky so you wont have any 'hmmm is that it or not moments - Wednesday looks like best for me lets hope the forecast is right

If you have a scope try and have a look as it has a black scar at the top at the moment caused by a probable comet impact

[simonwebb74]

Here is my best attempt (So far!!) taken from the local park, as the trees at the end of our garden were obscuring the view.

I need a remote shutter as most came out blurred!!!

[simonwebb74]

And here is one my wife has taken from the street outside our house!!!

[Skywatcher]

Welcome to the worldof astrophotography. That is a stunning picture of the planet and 3 moons!

Awsome mate well done

[simonwebb74]

Thanks mate, I was a bit worried I might get arrested, standing in a park in the dark with my camera!!!

My wife wants to know what you think of hers, she is worried that I take better photos although she is the one who is about to begin studying photography!!!

[Skywatcher]

Awesome. Seriously awesome she has 2 moons by the look of it. They do move quick. You have both taken pics of another world and it's moons !! Focus is wicked hard to get but you both nailed it.

[simonwebb74]

:thumbsup:

[simonwebb74]

The hardest thing was keeping the camera steady!!

I was using my 300mm lens at max zoom, with a shutter speed of 0.8" so even on the tripod pushing the shuuter release was causing the camera to move enough to blur the photo considerably.

Off now to look for a remote shutter release :yes:

[simonwebb74]

Ooh, just had a thought, set the timer to say 2 secs and then I wont be touching the camera when the shutter opens :thumbsup:

Right, I shall try again this evening and report back

[Skywatcher]

Good luck my friend :D

[ukwdwnut]

bummer i keep forgetting to go look outside will try and remember tonight, with tripod and remote and a 300mm macro zoom lens :)

[ukwdwnut]

Here is my best attempt (So far!!) taken from the local park, as the trees at the end of our garden were obscuring the view.

I need a remote shutter as most came out blurred!!!

great photo simon :yes: :thumbsup:

[Dawn]

Me and Steven lay in bed together last night looking at Jupiter out of the window and talking about what is out there. :D

[Skywatcher]

:D thats what its all about have you looked at i through your scope yet Dawn?

[Dawn]

Not a chance at the moment. Each time we think we can set the scope up outside it clouds over. :(

Steven was well impressed with looking at Jupiter. Especially after yesterday - him and Ellie and Harry were helpers in the space show at the space castle. Steven was Earth, Harry was Venus and Ellie was Mercury. :lol:

[Britchick]

Simon, you can get a remote control for the shutter for about £15 - that helps - also i found the strap blew in the wind a bit and rocked the camera