[South Florida DX Association] Radio Storms on Jupiter

[Bill]

Space Weather News for April 13, 2009
http://spaceweather.com

RADIO STORMS ON JUPITER:  On April 11th, an amateur radio astronomer in New 
Mexico heard loud pops and crackles coming from the loudspeaker of his 
shortwave receiver.  The sounds resembled terrestrial lightning, but the 
source was not on Earth. It was a radio storm on Jupiter.  You can listen to 
the sounds on today's edition of http://spaceweather.com .

Astronomers have long known that Jupiter produces strong shortwave radio 
bursts detectable from Earth; the fact of Jupiter's "radio activity" is not 
news. However, now may be the best time in decades to listen to the giant 
planet.  The sun is in the pits of a century-level solar minimum. Low solar 
activity increases the transparency of Earth's atmosphere to shortwave radio 
waves, allowing signals from Jupiter to more easily and clearly reach the 
ground.  At the same time, terrestrial radio interference subsides (another 
side-effect of solar minimum), so Jupiter bursts are easier to identify.

2009 is going to be a good year for Jupiter.  The planet is moving away from 
the sun and may now be seen shining brightly in the eastern sky before dawn. 
Students, teachers and amateur scientists who wish to try listening as well 
as watching should consider building their own radio telescope.  Kits are 
available from NASA's Radio JOVE program: http://radiojove.gsfc.nasa.gov/