Erratum: Jupiter's Moons for May 2008

By: The Editors of Sky & Telescope May 1, 2008 0

Jupiter with three of its Galilean satellites (from lower left to upper right): Io, Europa, and Callisto.

Anyone who views Jupiter regularly knows that the planet's four Galilean moons are a constant source of entertainment as they glide along in their orbits. At times they can be seen in front of Jupiter; at others they disappear into its shadow or behind its disk.

To help you anticipate when these events occur, Sky & Telescope publishes a detailed list during those months when Jupiter is viewable. The times are computed by the prestigious Bureau des Longitudes in France.

The Bureau got it right, but due to a production error the incorrect table appears on page 58 in our May 2008 issue. (The accompanying diagram on that page, showing the moons' motions throughout the month, is correct.)

To view or download a single-page PDF document listing the correct event times, click here. Or see our online article that includes the correct PDFs for all of 2008.

And you can also use our free interactive utility to help you identify the moons of Jupiter in your telescope's eyepiece.