GRS transit times

[Carole]

With the Jupiter opposition arriving soon, is there a website or way of finding out when the GRS transits, I always seem to miss it. 

Thanks

Carole

[Ivor]

I found this http://www.projectpluto.com/jeve_grs.htm and based on the data the 11 Mar 2016 @ 21:33 looks promising.

[Carole]

Thanks Ivor, I am going to compare that to Stellarium to see how accurate that is.

Carole

[The Thing]

Get Jovian Widget on your smartphone I also have Mobile Observatory which gives Jupiter and Saturn moon info and calculates events very nicely.

[Carole]

Thanks Duncan, however I don't often image the planets as never really had any decent results for my efforts, so not planning on needing a permanent app.  This is going to be my last attempt at Jupiter and if I don't get anything decent this time using Micks old DBK camera I will sell it and not bother any more.

I just checked the link that Ivor gave me with Stellarium and whilst the spot rotates on Stellarium it doesn't coincide with the dates and times on the chart. 

Carole

[The Thing]

I understand, planets can be very frustrating. Getting Jupiter on the chip of my little QHY5L-II colour took about an hour last night as I hadn't aligned my QHY5 finder guider in daylight and so I had to find Jupiter then align the two so I could get back to Jupiter easily if the inevitable glitch occurred. Then I made a big booboo. I had my red perspex on the laptop. When I came to adjust the atmospheric dispersion corrector I got it all wrong because I couldn't see the blue bits. However AutoStakkert 2.6.1.4 from the beta section of it's site has a really good RGB align and that put the captures right but they could have been better if I wasn't such a numpty.

What capture software are you going to use? The latest version of SharpCap is very good (used it last night) and of course FireCapture is the best but has sooo many features it can be counterproductive if you don't use it often.

As to the GRS try this page at CalSky or seems comprehensive and has a nice display. Or download WinJupos, or Jupiter 2 from AstroSurf which is the bees dangly bits for Jupiter info. which are both small programs compared to most e.g. Stellarium!

Hope that helps

Duncan

[Carole]

I normally use Sharpcap Duncan, but it's probably not the latest version.  As you say it can take ages to get it all ready to take an image, I find it much more difficult than DS imaging, and to think this is what I started with for the first year, how I stuck at imaging is a miracle as was only using an ETX in those days and keeping the target on the chip was a nightmare. 

I think I probably don't have a decent enough telescope for planetary, but not prepared to fork out loads on a planetary scope and then find I am still rubbish at it. 

I am going to use my ED120 and x 3 Barlow, Sharpcap and Registax,  I was shown how to use Autostakkert once, but when left to it found it very unituitive, so will probably stick with Registax. 

I don't think I dare try imaging this week as I am just getting over flu and don't want to get a chill straight afterwards sitting outside in freezing weather..

Carole