JUPITER 2010:
SEB continues to remain hidden though faint Red Spot Hollow is present, equatorial activity also seems subdued.
f/5 sequence at less than 20 degree altitude 0745 - 0800 UT.
0730 UT IR pass filter.
Very poor seeing this night.
0241 UT Europa begins transit, Ganymede nearing the end of transit.
0337 UT Ganymede off the disk, Europa is a dark smudge against the bright ST zone, the SEB is a faint band that appears to be returning.
Summary:
This Jupiter apparition has been most interesting in that with the SEB fading and the planet being higher in altitude, better observations and imaging was possible of many ongoing changes in the planet's atmosphere. Weather during the observation period was difficult at best but progress was made. The SEB appeared not to have disappeared completely but was overlaid with a high haze of light colored cloud. This condition actually made resolution of the GRS and oval BA easier because of the color contrast. Many rifts and white ovals were observed in the NEB, reminding one of the extremely violent conditions that exist in the atmosphere of Jupiter.
Towards the end of November, three hot upwelling regions appeared in the SEB which quickly spewed dark material from below the clouds into the wind stream, spreading rapidly around the planet on the northern edge of the SEB. As of the end of the year, the SEB is darkening and re-establishing itself.
Many satellite transits and shadow transits were observed and imaged, showing greater detail the before because of the planet being higher and the closer distance, next season should be even better due to increasing altitude of future apparitons.
Calculations from Jeff Beish's WIMP program