Yep, why not a morning session. With the clouds threatening I didn't want to go through all the work setting up my CGE PRO so I carried my AVX out since I keep it mostly assembled sans the counter weights and
After a 2+2 alignment, I swung over to Jupiter. It was sort of the motivation to do a session anyway since it will be at opposition the 10th of this month and is actually closer this time than it has been in 5 years. It didn't disappoint. Even with transparency that was 2 of 5, it is bright enough to show pretty good detail. Using my 11mm TV Plossel and my Baader Moon and Sky Glow filter gave me 214X and showed some pretty detail across the entire disc of the planet and the 4 visable moons were resolved into discs though lacking any detail at all. I studied it a while, waiting for moments of good seeing. I also had to wait for streamer clouds to move past several times
Next, I moved over to Saturn knowing it should also be putting on a pretty nice showing since opposition for it is in July. The rings are at a favorable tilt (and should get a little better by July). Nice banding on the planet and of course the Cassini division. I could also pick out 4 moons but with the transparency so bad 3 of them kind of faded in and out with the sseing. After about 30 minutes of watching the planet I thought about grabbing a couple of clusters.
I put in my
I checked SkySafari and found that Europa was due for a shadow and shortly thereafter a moon transit were due shortly as well as the red spot nof long after. Well, why not just stay out till dawn. I put my TV Nagler 9mm and the Moon and Sky Glow filter in place and took a look, yep Europa was right at the planets limb. Time brought the shadow and moon onto the face of the planet, but the red spot near the limb just crept into view as I realized the seeing was really terrible because by then Jupiter was only 30 degrees above the horizon.
I packed it up and was happy I got out, time for some coffee to start the day.
