LtE in CMO #255

From  P. Clay SHERROD


@ . . . . . . . . . . . .Subject: ASO Jupiter Patrol - Dec 26, 2001

 

Images from our December 26 sky patrol prior to clouds moving in at 07:30 U.T. Seeing much improved over previous nights.

 

 NOTES:

 1)  SEB following GRS is continuing to increase activity in turbulence and large oval activity; note the rapid degree of change on this date from previous dates only a week earlier as recorded in the ASO Image Archives for the same longitudes.

 

 2)  The NEB continues to greatly increase in System II activity, and the merged barge area of B-2/B-3 is intensifying in darkness and lengthening in size.

 

 3)  NEB disturbance associated with barge B-4 is also increasing rapidly and pr. the barge area specifically the NEB is pocked with rapidly changing spots and bright ovals as seen in image "jupiter1226d".

 

 4)  Southern hemisphere, south of STrZ is also continuing some very fine activity.

 5)  GRS center measured at 74.0d System II.

                          (26 December 2001 email)

 

@ . . . . . . . .Subject: Re: Mars - December 26, 2001

Hello David (David MOORE) and once again thanks for the nice images....pretty well covered the solar system last night, huh?  I am still continuing to be impressed with the images of Mars as it recedes.....also you got some excellent timing on the Jovian shots as the SEB is very chaotic now and needs much recording in the area that you are showing.

Thanks for sending.......

       (26 December 2001 email)

 

@ . . . . . . . Subject: Active Regions on Jupiter - Images and Data   Large Oval on STBn following GRS / Rotational rate of Combined barge feature B-2 / B-3

 I have posted two (2) images on the ASO website from this morning (December 30, 2001) which show some very chaotic activity in the longitudes (II) following the GRS, notably in the SEB and longitudes south of that, even into the high southern temperate regions.

 In addition, note the continued high activity within the NEB, and in both images the approach of the large-scale disturbance centered on the NEB dark barge B-4.

 The seeing conditions here were very poor until the first image was taken, when clouds broke momentarily; the second image ("jupiter1230b") was taken as clouds again invaded and resulted in very unstable air.

 Note in "jupiter1230a" the large dark oval following the GRS at Long. II 99.5 (c.); this oval is at the n. edge of theSTB and within the STrZ; it has actually developed from TWO such ovals that were first recorded at the ASO on December 21; two nights later these two ovals had merged with one common "border" and now are distinctly ONE larger and very well defined feature. This new oval really bears watching as well as careful CM times to note its motion in System II.

 ALSO, note the merged barges B-2 and B-3 in this same image....this feature is incredibly dark, albeit not so much as barge B-4 nearby. The very interesting aspect of this feature is its rapid acceleration in System II since the two barges merged in late November, early December; once located at 100.6 d. System II (November 15, 2001 - ASO Image "jupiter1115a"), the feature has drifted westward now to be very close to long. II 80 degrees, and incredible drift of 20.6 degrees in about 45 days, indicative that this feature is NO LONGER rotating in System II as the original barges were....

 My estimated velocity (based on -13.7d/30days) of rotation of this (B-2/B-3) combined feature since November 15 is 9h 55m 21.88s.

 The earlier image, showing the GRS and considerable activity following that is found at:

 

http://www.arksky.org/asoimg/jupiter1230a.jpg

 

and the second image with the approach of the NEB barge and disturbed area is located at:

 

http://www.arksky.org/asoimg/jupiter1230b.jpg

 

 As always, to access images for ANY Jovian longitude on the ASO site; you merely need to go to the Observatory Image Archives and enter the desired Longitude (either I or II); if you are seeking a particular date for multiple images, you need only key in the date under the "Starting Date" on the Search Page.

 (30 December 2001 email)

 

@ . . . . . . . . .Subject: Re: A Happy New Year! & CMO#254

 

And a wonderful and prosperous new year to all observers from Arkansas, USA.

 We at the Arkansas Sky Observatory wish all a very astronomically active 2003 and hope that your days are filled with bright comets and astronomical discoveries! 

                             (1 January 2002 email)

 

@ . . . . . . . . .Subject: Odd features within GRS Hollow?

 

 Brian has posted some digitally enhanced images from several recent nightsof ASO Jupiter Patrols at:

 

  http://www.arksky.org/grsdist010402.htm

 

which suggest the appearance of many small white ovals associated with the GRS and/or the hollow; the images speak for themselves.

 To see the actual patrol images that these were derived from, you can access by merely going to the ASO image archives and keying in that date given.

 The interesting thing to me is that these features are not only confirmed through multiple date recordings, but if you examine closely you can actually see the shadow effect, demonstrating the suggestion of 3-D morphology, suggestive of vortex-type "venting" perhaps.

 There is a tremendous amount of wonderful activity going on around the GRS area and longitudes both pr. and fol. it. We should all be observing this area for further developments!

             (4 January 2002 email)

 

@ . . . . . . . . Subject: Re: Dear Dr Clay Sherrod from CMO Murakami

 

Hello and thank you for the letter. I am most pleased to keep you up to date on the ASO Jupiter Patrol images and I hope that they will be of use for your research and archives. I am providing the link to the ASO website which affords a quick and very easy Longitude (as well as date) reference for ALL posted ASO Jupiter images.

 Please look under "Image Archives" and merely enter the longitude span you wish to study OR the date you wish to view.

 I have added Kuniaki Horikawa to the ASO Jupiter Alert list and he will now receive all subsequent postings.

 I strongly invite you to reference the ASO Archives for a very complete reference for the 2001- 2002 Jupiter apparition!

 Thanks again and please keep in touch.

                             (7 January 2002 email)

 

@. . . . . . . . Subject: ASO Jupiter Images - January 9, 2002 - Barge Activity Noted

 IMPORTANT NOTE: Alert on NEB barges B-2/B-3, Seeing very poor.  Of much importance is the "spreading" of barge B-3 in the image "jupiter0109b" (top image in this send. It has begun to delineated longitudinally in the middle regions of the NEB. Rather than the distinct bar shape it has had for over a month, this feature is now beginning to thin and spread significantly within the NEB current! This is, indeed, exciting changes from previous images obtained here at ASO.

(9 January 2002 email)


P. Clay SHERROD (AR, USA )  

Arkansas Sky Observatory

sherrodc@ipa.net

http://www.arksky.org/


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