8" telescope video of Jupiter impact site

The new impact of a comet, meteor or asteroid on Jupiter reminds us how vulnerable we really are. So when one occurs anywhere it is an attention grabber. Also, the fact that this impact was first seen by an amateur astronomer, Anthony Wesley, is exciting since it shows that anyone with a telescope pointed toward the skies can make a significant contribution to science. In my neck of the woods, it was the rainy season.. I had recorded video of Jupiter on the 20th, one day after the impact, but I did not know about it. That night the impact was on the other side of the planet. Rains came, and the first chance I had I got out my 8" SCT and recorded more of Jupiter, but this time, the side of the impact. The image at the beginning of the video is made from this video using Registax software.

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• Jupiter
• video
• impact
• 2009

[Universound57]

hey i have a question, im considering getting an 8 inch Dobsonian reflector and im just wondering what the lens size (6mm, 8mm, 10mm, 17mm and so on...) effects the image. like, what size lens is best for viewing planets, stars and so on.

[jdastro]

@Universound57 - My 8" SCT is an f/10 scope. The dob will be about f/5 - or half the magnification per eyepiece, but twice as bright because you will see twice as much of the sky with the same eyepiece as you would in an f/10 scope. My favorite eyepieces with the 8" f/10 SCT have 15mm - 30mm focal lengths.The equivalent magnification in an 8" f/5 Dob will require 7.5mm - 15mm focal length eyepieces or, and what can save you money and is easier on the eyes, a 2x barlow, and 15mm-30mm eyepieces.

[jdastro]

I definitely agree with you Jason. Jupiter and the other gas planets are like brroms and dust mops, picking up so much of the stray comets and no telling how many asteroids that are on route toward the sun. Even the moon has helped us out enormously. On its dark side is an impact crater 2250 km wide and 12 km deep. If that object had struck the earth, would we be here today?

[jdastro]

F/10 SCT - Celestron Nexstar 8i. I add a barlow plus 32mm eyepiece. Then record video with 10x on a camcorder. Not always get good imaging. Need the planet to be very high for seeing to be good.

[jdastro]

Hi Joe - Will try yo answer that. I have actually wondered about that myself and , depending on the power, the apparent size is variable from a pecan to an orange on the ground from a standing position. What I did was keep both eyes open and projected the scope view onto the ground near the foot of my tripod. Trick with camcorder video is I can zoom in about 5x more than what the eye sees. I made this video at about 140x.

[shamthemanSMBMG]

@jdastro Did you know Jupiter actually puts us in danger too, with its gravity pulling asteroids on the other side of us towards jupiter but they might it us!

[italicslob]

the initial shoemaker-levy explosion was bigger than the earth.

[jasonroxorz]

In the description you point out that this reminds us how vulnerable we are. I completely agree with you for sure. An impact is a very serious threat, and one of the only natural disasters we have the technology to stop right now (if we figured out exactly how to implement our current technology). BUT... The gas giants actually run interference for us terrestrial planets. They work as a cosmic vacuum, picking up all the rocks headed are way. Just an interesting fact. This should be scary tho hah

[patrickchand666]

this is amazing! i have an 8 inch dob. and cannot get this view. what are your optics?

[BeBoACfan]

omg ! :D

[casper191985]

@JokinJoe i can make out it pretty good during a new moon phase with my 8 inch dob reflector. 25mm with a barlow 2x's works pretty good. it's about the same size as a pencil erazer on mine. looks beautiful though, it's four moons included