The Arkansas Sky Observatory (ASO) Sky Patrol has been instrumental thus far in the 2001-2002 recording of major surface features, their apparent circulation, growth, development and interaction with other features on the giant planet Jupiter.
The ASO Image Archives (http://www.arksky.org/asoimglib.htm) has provided hundreds of images since early October, 2001 to Jupiter scientists worldwide.
One such researcher is Hans J. Mettig -
H.-J. Mettig, Kirchzartener Str. 28, D-79117 Freiburg
e-mail: H.J.Mettig@t-online.de
WWW: http://jupos.org
who maintains the JUPOS site dedicated to accurate measurements of drifts, motions and developments of Jovian systems.
His latest graphic map of the North Temperate Belt South (NTBs) Jetstream is reproduced here for reference of the many wonderful features that are recorded nightly within the North Equatorial Zone (NEZ), North Equatorial Belt (NEB), the North Tropical Zone (NTrZ) and the North Temperate Belt (NTB) by the ASO imaging team (see http://www.arksky.org/skypatrol.htm ).
His wonderful graphic illustrates the drift of these major features relative to the normal circulation pattern of System II on Jupiter (all latitudes north and south of the equatorial regions which rotate at System I, a bit faster). Included in these are very familiar storms and features that are routinely seen by visiting the ASO archives and are included on
Hans-Mettig's wonderful graphic.
Such features are the NEB dark barges, NEB white "porthole" ovals, the bright white and yellow NEZ and NTrZ white ovals, the great NEB disturbance at present, and many more features.
Such a log can visually aid in the immediate identification of a major feature spotted with the telescope within the low- to mid-northern latitudes of Jupiter.
As observations continue, the ASO will publish a "map" of the many features you see here on the graphic, with identifications as to what each of these features represents and where exactly each is located on the Jovian disk.
Copyright Arkansas Sky Observatory © 2001 [A.S.O.] All rights reserved. Revised: May 30, 2002
