Note that the times for December 2014 listed below are late. Why? Because the Great Red Spot drifts relative to the planet's interior rotation, and extrapolations for the Spot's location may be inaccurate when predicted too far in advance. However, we provide an up-to-date monthly reference in our magazine, and we also regularly update our Jupiter's Moons javascript tool and JupiterMoons app.

Transit times for Jupiter's Great Red Spot (GRS) from September through December 2014 (in Universal Time) are listed below.

These predictions assume the Red Spot will be at the following Jovian System II longitudes:

223° in September 2014
225° in October 2014
227° in November 2014
229° in December 2014

These are a good match for the GRS's behavior over the last few years, as noted by JUPOS. If the GRS has moved elsewhere, it will transit 1 2/3 minutes late for every 1° of longitude greater than the assumed longitude.

Features on Jupiter appear closer to the central meridian than to the limb — and thus are well placed for viewing — for 50 minutes before and after their transit times.

Red Spot Transits in late 2014

September 1: 5:32, 15:28;
2: 1:23, 11:19, 21:15;
3: 7:11, 17:06;
4: 3:02, 12:58, 22:54;
5: 8:50, 18:45;
6: 4:41, 14:37;
7: 0:33, 10:29, 20:24;
8: 6:20, 16:16;
9: 2:12, 12:07, 22:03;
10: 7:59, 17:55;
11: 3:51, 13:46, 23:42;
12: 9:38, 19:34;
13: 5:30, 15:25;
14: 1:21, 11:17, 21:13;
15: 7:08, 17:04;
16: 3:00, 12:56, 22:52;
17: 8:47, 18:43;
18: 4:39, 14:35;
19: 0:30, 10:26, 20:22;
20: 6:18, 16:13;
21: 2:09, 12:05, 22:01;
22: 7:57, 17:52;
23: 3:48, 13:44, 23:40;
24: 9:35, 19:31;
25: 5:27, 15:23;
26: 1:18, 11:14, 21:10;
27: 7:06, 17:01;
28: 2:57, 12:53, 22:49;
29: 8:44, 18:40;
30: 4:36, 14:32

October 1: 0:31, 10:27, 20:22;
2: 6:18, 16:14;
3: 2:10, 12:05, 22:01;
4: 7:57, 17:53;
5: 3:48, 13:44, 23:40;
6: 9:36, 19:31;
7: 5:27, 15:23;
8: 1:19, 11:14, 21:10;
9: 7:06, 17:01;
10: 2:57, 12:53, 22:49;
11: 8:44, 18:40;
12: 4:36, 14:32;
13: 0:27, 10:23, 20:19;
14: 6:15, 16:10;
15: 2:06, 12:02, 21:58;
16: 7:53, 17:49;
17: 3:45, 13:40, 23:36;
18: 9:32, 19:28;
19: 5:23, 15:19;
20: 1:15, 11:10, 21:06;
21: 7:02, 16:58;
22: 2:53, 12:49, 22:45;
23: 8:40, 18:36;
24: 4:32, 14:28;
25: 0:23, 10:19, 20:15;
26: 6:10, 16:06;
27: 2:02, 11:58, 21:53;
28: 7:49, 17:45;
29: 3:40, 13:36, 23:32;
30: 9:28, 19:23;
31: 5:19, 15:15

November 1: 1:14, 11:09, 21:05;
2: 7:01, 16:56;
3: 2:52, 12:48, 22:44;
4: 8:39, 18:35;
5: 4:31, 14:26;
6: 0:22, 10:18, 20:13;
7: 6:09, 16:05;
8: 2:00, 11:56, 21:52;
9: 7:48, 17:43;
10: 3:39, 13:35, 23:30;
11: 9:26, 19:22;
12: 5:17, 15:13;
13: 1:09, 11:04, 21:00;
14: 6:56, 16:51;
15: 2:47, 12:43, 22:38;
16: 8:34, 18:30;
17: 4:25, 14:21;
18: 0:17, 10:12, 20:08;
19: 6:04, 15:59;
20: 1:55, 11:51, 21:46;
21: 7:42, 17:38;
22: 3:33, 13:29, 23:25;
23: 9:20, 19:16;
24: 5:12, 15:07;
25: 1:03, 10:59, 20:54;
26: 6:50, 16:46;
27: 2:41, 12:37, 22:33;
28: 8:28, 18:24;
29: 4:19, 14:15;
30: 0:11, 10:06, 20:02

December 1: 6:01, 15:57;
2: 1:52, 11:48, 21:44;
3: 7:39, 17:35;
4: 3:30, 13:26, 23:22;
5: 9:17, 19:13;
6: 5:09, 15:04;
7: 1:00, 10:56, 20:51;
8: 6:47, 16:42;
9: 2:38, 12:34, 22:29;
10: 8:25, 18:21;
11: 4:16, 14:12;
12: 0:07, 10:03, 19:59;
13: 5:54, 15:50;
14: 1:46, 11:41, 21:37;
15: 7:32, 17:28;
16: 3:24, 13:19, 23:15;
17: 9:10, 19:06;
18: 5:02, 14:57;
19: 0:53, 10:48, 20:44;
20: 6:40, 16:35;
21: 2:31, 12:27, 22:22;
22: 8:18, 18:13;
23: 4:09, 14:05;
24: 0:00, 9:56, 19:51;
25: 5:47, 15:43;
26: 1:38, 11:34, 21:29;
27: 7:25, 17:21;
28: 3:16, 13:12, 23:07;
29: 9:03, 18:59;
30: 4:54, 14:50;
31: 0:45, 10:41, 20:36

Comments


Image of Stephen-Wood

Stephen-Wood

August 19, 2014 at 3:31 pm

Jupiter is starting to appear in the morning now (August 2014). Could you please update the page of printed times of GRS transits?

http://skyandtelescope.org/sky-and-telescope-magazine/beyond-the-printed-page/great-red-spot-transit-table-sept-2013-may-2014/

If you make a new page then please update the "here" link on this page
http://skyandtelescope.org/observing/a-jupiter-almanac/

Thanks

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