LtE in CMO #269

From Eric NG

Dear Christophe and other observers,

As I am not very experienced in studying the features and I just edited the images taken by you, Weileong and from my collections and would like to seek th comment from the Jupiter observers and experts.

The image set shows the "spot" and GRS event from 13 Jan to 25 Jan. The one I took on 13 Jan shows the spot that has been realised by Richard and it was dissolving shown on the one taken on 18 Jan and finally could not be seen on 20 Jan from Weileong's image.

And your 24 Jan's image shows another "spot structure" in GRS and the Weileong's latest image shows it's position changed (due to counter clockwise rotation of the GRS?) and looks more solid.

Sorry that as my server down, I will upload it to the URL later.

Kind Regards,

(26 January 2003)

Dear Jupiter Observers,

Seeing and transparency were poor. Attached Jupiter were taken between the cloud slit. Interestingly to see the bright spot feature in the SEB.

http://www.ort.cuhk.edu.hk/ericng/20030126.jpg

Kind Regards,

(27 January 2003)

Here is another processed image shows Europa Transit and SEB taken on Jan 28, 2003 at 16:04UT. Very complex SEB structures. As the recording setting for this image is dimmer so the limb darkening shows some artifact because of insufficient gradient.

http://www.ort.cuhk.edu.hk/ericng/20030128160430UT.jpg

Kind Regards,

(29 January 2003)

Dear Friends,

I finally screened all the AVI and processed the attached clearest Europa Transit. You can see the Europa itself and the shadow crossing the Jupiter, also please see the shape of Io and you will found that it is not that round. When you zoom in, you will see the dark polar region merge with the sky background.

http://www.ort.cuhk.edu.hk/ericng/200301281551UT.jpg

Kind Regards,

(29 January 2003)

Dear Friends,

Glad that Tan Weileong from Singapore visited Hong Kong in last few days. Attached was the Jupiter taken on 20030131 jointly with Weileong. The transparency was quite low and the seeing was fair. But it was very interesting to combine the experience from different observer from different countries but have same target during the opposition.

http://www.ort.cuhk.edu.hk/ericng/20030131-1458-181530.jpg

We had a great night of sharing and chatting with local amateurs at my home's roof though the sky was not clear, but it did a very great moment. Attached group photo is for your interest.

http://www.ort.cuhk.edu.hk/ericng/group.jpg

From left: KC Pau, Eric Ng, Dennis Pang, Tan Weileong, CK Yan

Kind Regards,

(2 February 2003)

Dear Friends,

Just received the Cooled ToUcam Prototype from my friend and attached is the first try I took with it. Transparency was low (3/10) but surprisingly the image was clean even the shot was taken at >F40 (I shall check the accurate focal ratio as the distance of CCD chip and Barlow is longer than before). Ambient temperature is 13 degree C. Please see the attached image with original size.

http://www.ort.cuhk.edu.hk/ericng/200302051425final.jpg

I have compared the dark frames before and after switching on the cooled peltier (30 mins difference) and the huge difference of the dark current.

Kind Regards,

(6 February 2003)

Dear friends,

Attached were a pair of Jupiter taken on 2003-02-08 16:14UT and 17:47UT. The sky in Hong Kong was very foggy recently because of marine monsoon wind blew from south china sea. On the other hand, relatively steady sky. Luckily the sky transparency improved around mid night so could captured the "cleaner" Jupiter shots.

http://www.ort.cuhk.edu.hk/ericng/j20030208-1614-1747.jpg

The one taken at 16:14 UT shows very active festoons and blue features on EZ and the there is another spot at the preceding side of GRS and seems moving inside the GRS hallow, also shown on Weileong image which will be posted shortly. Hopefully I the sky will be clear tonight and I shall keep monitor its trend.

Also I am attaching the lunar shot taken under very foggy sky at earlier time last night for your interest. although I rarely shoot Moon, but it is a great object for warm up!!!

Kind Regards,

(9 February 2003)

Dear friends,

Attached Jupiter image was taken on 2003-02-09. As the gamma and gain setting of the webcam was not good during imaging (too rush for imaging as thin cloud all around the sky), so some ring artifacts are found at the edge of the image. Next time I must spend more time to do the parameter adjustment.

http://www.ort.cuhk.edu.hk/ericng/200302091528UT.jpg

I will post the rest of images later on.

kind regards,

(10 February 2003)

Dear friends,

I am lucky to have seeing around 8/10 and transparency is 7/10 tonight. Attached was the Jupiter tak en on 2003-02-10 at 15:23UT. Some tiny ovals can be seen on the polar regions with different colour. Oval BA is visible at the following side and also some spot features are visible on the NTB.

http://www.ort.cuhk.edu.hk/ericng/200302101523UT-final.jpg

Please feel free to kindly comment on it.

Glenn, although I am living at different time zone (exactly opposite to US) but I do commit to take image according to your message earlier post. Hopefully my image is an useful reference to your IR study on Jupiter.

I will process the rest of images and post here later.

Kind Regards,

(11 February 2003)

Dear friends,

Attached was another 20030210 Jupiter taken at 16:53UT and you can see the Oval BA near CM and also a few small spots near it. The festoon features on EZ are absolutely active and some split NTB is visible on the north hemisphere.

http://www.ort.cuhk.edu.hk/ericng/200302101653UT.jpg

Collimation is another important issue when imaging under great seeing.

Kind Regards,

(11 February 2003)

Dear friends,

Attached was the Jupiter taken on 2003-02-09. 10 mins difference already show the obvious rotation of Jupiter. All the Jupiter images on 09 Feb got the rings at the edge because of improper setting of gain and gamma as I mentioned before. I have practice with despeckle, gaussian blur and unsharp masking and finally got the sharper detail and less rings at the edge. My colleagues kid on me that: Oh! You captured Jupiter and its "rings".

http://www.ort.cuhk.edu.hk/ericng/20030209-1528-1539.jpg

In my opinion, the unsharp masking generates less ring than the wavelet filters.

Kind Regards,

(12 February 2003)

Dear friends,

These few days the sky is bad and no more imaging can be done. I have created a website for my webcam images taken in last two months. More contents and images will be updated in the coming few days and wish you like them.

Here is the URL:

http://www.ort.cuhk.edu.hk/ericng/webcam

Kind Regards,

(17 February 2003)

Dear friends,

Weather forecast of tonight was raining but luckily the sky was clear and I could capture some Jupiter shot. The seeing was fairly good. Attached please find Jupiter taken at 16:54 UT which shows the GRS and noted the blue features attaching to the NEB. Dark streak south to the GRS is dissolving!

http://www.ort.cuhk.edu.hk/ericng/webcam/planets/jupiter/200302181654UT.jpg

Kind Regards,

(19 February 2003)

Dear Ed and others,

I also captured the Jupiter shot 9 hours 41 mins after yours. My shot is not detailed as yours but it is interesting to keep track with the same side by us at different time zones. Greeting

http://www.ort.cuhk.edu.hk/ericng/webcam/planets/jupiter/200302181541UT.jpg

Kind Regards,

(19 February 2003)

Dear friends,

Attached image shows the GRS crossing the CM taken on 2003-02-18.

http://www.ort.cuhk.edu.hk/ericng/webcam/planets/jupiter/20030218160930UT.jpg

Kind Regards,

(20 February 2003)

Dear friends,

Time amendment for the image:

It should be 17:09:30UT CM1=199.2 CMII= 85.2

Sorry for the mistake

(20 February 2003)

Dear all,

The link contains the correct image with amended time and CM information

http://www.ort.cuhk.edu.hk/ericng/webcam/planets/jupiter/20030218170930UT-s.jpg

Kind Regards,

(20 February 2003)

Dear friends,

Thanks for the suggestion of Mr. Richard Johnson. The pair of my Jupiter images taken on 09 Feb can produces an very interesting 3D effect Jupiter!

http://www.ort.cuhk.edu.hk/ericng/webcam/planets/jupiter/20030209-1528-1539UT-stereo.jpg

I added the red dots on the image that let you easier to merge two image together. Just sit in front of the computer at 1.5 feet and the adjust your eyes until two red dots merged to form the third dot at the center. Then you will see three Jupiters and the middle one is 3D Jupiter.

Enjoy!

(21 February 2003)

Dear Friends,

Tonight the sky is clear and the seeing is around 7/10. I have taken some Jupiter shots and attached were the Europa Transit shots taken tonight. The CM of the 1522UT is similar to the one I took on 10 Feb. I shall put the side by side comparison for both images and see any features changes.

http://www.ort.cuhk.edu.hk/ericng/webcam/planets/jupiter/200302221438UT-1.jpg

http://www.ort.cuhk.edu.hk/ericng/webcam/planets/jupiter/200302221522UT-1.jpg

Kind Regards,

(23 February 2003)

Dear friends,

I just processed another Jupiter which shows Oval BA and also it is very interesting to see so many connections between the festoon/blue features and the SEB. Also the "fragment" of NTB is visible too.

http://www.ort.cuhk.edu.hk/ericng/webcam/planets/jupiter/200302221700UT.jpg

Kind Regards,

(23 February 2003)

Dear friends,

The attached image showed the Europa's shadow at the edge (Preceding) of Jupiter. Looks like a cheese bit by a mice. :-)

http://www.ort.cuhk.edu.hk/ericng/webcam/planets/jupiter/200302221501UT.jpg

Kind Regards,

(23 February 2003)

Dear friends,

Tonight, the seeing was not as good as last night. Especially after 15:00UT, clouds appeared on sky and I could only shot the Jupiter through the gap. The seeing was very flucuated, sometimes even the NEB and SEB were totally washed out by the turbulence. Attached was the one taken at 11:58 PM under relatively steady moment. As it was shot through the thin cloud, so the contrast and SN are quite low.

http://www.ort.cuhk.edu.hk/ericng/webcam/planets/jupiter/200302231558UT.jpg

BTW, it is very interesting to see the dark streak on the STB near CM split into some small dark spots!!! The pattern looks similar to the one I took on 13 Jan.

You may trace back the image from this link.

http://www.ort.cuhk.edu.hk/ericng/webcam/planets/jupiter/200301131721UT.jpg

Kind Regards,

(24 February 2003)

Eric NG (Hong Kong)

ericng@cuhk.edu.hk

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