Previous Article
Next Article
Table of Contents

Plans to Observe Jupiter/SL9 Encounter from Sac Peak (1Jun94)
(from NSO, NOAO Newsletter No. 38, 1 June 1994)

A special nighttime observing program will observe the encounter of the
comet P/Shoemaker-Levy 9 (SL9) with the planet Jupiter at the Vacuum
Tower Telescope at NSO/Sac Peak.  With funding from a NASA grant, M.
Penn (NSO), J. Luu (Stanford) and J. Kuhn (NSO) will collect a time
series of observations of Jupiter during the encounter.  The program
will image Jupiter in continuum (400-600 nm) and methane absorption
bands (750-890 nm), and collect slit spectra (1500 nm) along the Jovian
equator.  The observations will have a rapid cadence (15 sec) and
should cover several hours (4-6) each night during the encounter; the
data will be useful to investigate oscillations which may be generated
by the comet collision.  During a test run in March, short exposures
combined with good seeing produced some excellent continuum images.


                        [Figure not included]

            An image of Jupiter taken with the Vacuum Tower
            Telescope on 22 March 1994.  A Galilean satellite
            shadow is visible in the bottom center.

Matt Penn

Previous Article
Next Article
Table of Contents