Jupiter: and How to Observe It (Astronomers' Observing Guides)

Browsing through the heavens, I get the familiar warm feeling when seeing my favourite objects out there looking down on me, nothing given me this feeling more than Jupiter. Without Jupiter the night sky looks a bit empty, it's my observing companion on many nights and on early mornings when I'm walking to work. No doubt, Jupiter has a special place in Earth Civilizations as do many other planets, but this particular one has earned the name god of all gods; and the protector of sky. Seeing this magnificent object in the sky with its visible moons [I managed to view 4 of them]; is a sight to remember. That said; I have to pin point that viewing an object like Jupiter or any other object once you get to know more about its make-up and history leads to a breathtaking appreciation of its might and beauty. This book is a step in the right direction for any one aspiring to learn about this planet and enjoy viewing it and maybe even be one of the fortunate few who will contribute to its science.Section I: Science of Jupiter Physical Characteristics, Terminology and Nomenclature, Belts and Zones are all included in exquisite details, you no longer will struggle to describe a feature on Jupiter, you now have in your hands the ability to indicate were each feature is located and how does it look in simple standard terminology that you can transcribe easily and effectively to any one and record it correctly. No more cryptic descriptions like "that strange looking dot with curve around the middle, maybe a bit north or south blah blah"; now you can precisely say "NNTB - North North Temperate Belt" and "GRS - Great Red Spot" and it makes sense to everyone. Chemical Composition, Atmosphere and Electromagnetic field around Jupiter are sufficiently articulate. If the electromagnetic field around earth has ever intrigued you, then get ready to be astounded with the details of the field around Jupiter. Its Moons "The Jovians" are mentioned with satisfactory details; IO, Europa, Ganymede and Calisto; there are books out there dedicated to these moons if desired.Section II: How to Observe Jupiter Approximately 50 pages are in three chapters covering equipment, sky conditions and Recording your observations. This is the part that guides you through your observation, both visual and imaging and recording what you see in a useful Logbook and even reporting your observations the correct way which is very important considering the recent events of more Comets Splashing into Jupiter. There is enough information to efficiently enjoy this planet and satisfy your scientific curiosity and make it a pleasurable reading.Summary: Practical, Informative, Well Illustrated and Enjoyable.More: July 2009, a "Sharp-Eyed" amateur by the name of Anthony Wesley observed and reported a new dark spot on Jupiter, many professionals in the field of astronomy listened and looked, Amateur Astronomers can still make valuable contributions.

I loved John McAnally’s book “Jupiter and How to Observe It.” I came to the Springer series of “How to Observe” via a book on the Moon. Once I discovered there were more (yay!), this title on Jupiter was the first addition. I’ve been watching Jupiter and Saturn’s path across the Southern Sky during the Summer/Fall of 2020. Early observations with my 4-inch telescope were introductory views of the Galilean moons. Adding a Barlow and few other lenses, I was finally able to view Jupiter’s disc.McAnally’s book was immensely helpful in identifying features on Jupiter, even with the limited view my scope provided. The observation section was of some utility with my equipment kit, even with the focus on CCD cameras and other telescopic setups. The “money shot” from this book’s observation pages is the process of documenting your images onto paper. McAnally’s examples encouraged me to find Planetary Observation worksheets to record what I see each night.The second most valuable portion of the book was the general Jupiter information. While I know this information is available for “free” on the Internet (the book’s reference list catalogs hundreds of research papers about Jupiter and its moons) the compact consolidation of relevant material makes this book worth its price. This book jumps right into Jupiter’s history, composition, and characteristics so a little knowledge of astronomy is useful, but not a prerequisite.I purchased my copy as the first of the “How to Observe” series from Springer – I plan to add a few more soon!

This is the best planet observing guide I ever read. I strongly recommend it to any amateur astronomer who wishes to make systematic and methodical observations of Jupiter. It describes all the important features of the Jovian atmosphere, the type of changes that occur, how to observe and record them. It also contains an excellent chapter on the vertical structure of the atmosphere.

One of the best Amature Guide Books for the study of Jupiter. Every one who watches the sky, should have this book.

This is the best in the line of books called, "How to observe them". An invaluable book that will teach you some of the wonders of our universe and indeed our own solar system that only God in Heaven could create.

È un libro da avere per tutti gli astrofili. Peccato solo che ad oggi non è prevista una traduzione in italiano.