NEWS & FEATURES

Montgomery County (MD) Heritage Days 2008 and Radio JOVE

On June 28, Dr. Len Garcia coordinated an exhibit about the 1955 discovery of radio emissions from Jupiter in Maryland from a spot near the site of the discovery. Visitors participating in the Montgomery County, Maryland Heritage Days stopped by the site to learn more about the history of this event, and listened to a RJ radio telescope.

• Map to the discovery site
• About the Discovery
• About Heritage Montgomery

Current Jupiter Observing Season Ending

Most Radio JOVE Jupiter observations are made during those few hours around the time Jupiter transits the local meridian. (See Views From the Passenger Seat.) By October, Jupiter's transit will occur shortly after sunset. RJ listening conditions are generally not good at this time of day, because the ionosphere has not had time to become transparent to HF radio waves so soon after sunset.

For most RJers, the current Jupiter listening season will draw to a close in early October 2008. Some observers with Yagi antennas may be able to listen later - if conditions are favorable - by pointing their antennas to the West before Jupiter sets. Our next Jupiter season will begin in early April 2009 for those with Yagis (who can observe close to Juptier rise) and for the rest of us it will start about a month later in May 2009.

The Sun remains quiet as of mid-September, 2008, but a few new-cycle sunspots have been observed. Hopefully the worst is behind us and soon solar activity will begin to increase.

So keep tuned in and listen for solar bursts during the Winter months and then Jupiter beginning in the Spring of 2009.