This event has uncertain path accuracy. The wide limits shown on OWc are generic and believed by some sources to be high over-estimated. I would indeed expect that our understanding of Jupiter's larger satellites would be fairly well determined better than the large range in OWc. Does that mean the central path is exactly correct? We're not sure, but the central path does nicely go through the Santa Cruz Mtns, so we're in prime location to help fix the orbit of this object.
This object is a member of the bright open star cluster NGC 2420, with many UCAC4 members. Be careful to ID the target! Jupiter is not close to this star cluster.
Jnow RA=7h 38 33.1s, Dec=+21 34 39"
Alt=62
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Scope still has pointing irregularity. Even with a careful "align success", it can either point accurately, or else noisily and badly off by more than a degree or 2. This happened this night. After positioning Kirk, I set off on Molera/Nashua Rd to Monte Rd and drove south. But to my surprise, hit fog after several miles, and had to retreat, which slowed my set up. I got set up OK, in heavy humid cold air but marginally fog-free. But the 8SE I use has been through indifferent handling by students in the past and apparently still suffers from unpredictable lapses in GoTo'ing. I got a "align success" 2-star align, but the GoTo was bad. I ended up using my remaining time trying to spiral-search for recognizable star patterns, using Jupiter as my primary guide. I did record, but unlikely I was on-target.
Astrid at Home
I looked at the recording from the Astrid I left at home, it's just too noisy to tell if there was an event. I recorded at 2 seconds per frame, or 120x, the target is barely visible above background but there aren't distinct drops different from the noise, if detectable there should have been something at 17 sec. after predicted time, if me at Castroville, and Bernard, and Karl all got positives, but it would only be for 2-3 points at best. Plus there's a close star to the target, but with the 0.5x reducer the field is wide and it can't split them, so any apparent drop would be small. So I'd say it was a no-observation even though I got a recording. The scope is just too small for this event. It did record at the right time and did get the field, so it was a good test.
8SE from south of Moss Landing
Got a clear positive
Dec 12/13 12:25:24 Elara (VII) Jupiter moon from S of Rock at 16X; Clear, Good seeing, no breeze, Warm (for Dec.), dark (no Moon). Definite event about 15 seconds late.