LtE in CMO #255
From P. Clay SHERROD
@ . . . . . . . . . . . .Subject: ASO Jupiter Patrol -
Images from our December 26 sky
patrol prior to clouds moving in at
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
3)
4) Southern hemisphere,
south of STrZ is also continuing some very fine activity.
5) GRS center measured at
74.0d System II.
(
@ . . . . . . . .Subject: Re: Mars -
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.......
(
@ . . . . . . . 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 (
In addition, note the continued high activity within the
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 the
STB 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
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.
(
@ . . . . . . . . .Subject: Re: A Happy New Year! & CMO#254
And a wonderful and prosperous new
year to all observers from
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!
(
@ . . . . . . . . .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!
(
@ . . . . . . . . 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.
(
@. . . . . . . . Subject: ASO
Jupiter Images -
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
(
P. Clay
SHERROD (AR,