checked the transits

Holy ink spots, Batman.

There are a lot of transit events at Jupiter this month ...

Let's do a deep dive, shall we?

3: In progress at sunrise, single shadow, Io transit ends, GRS crosses meridian.

8: In progress at sunrise, single shadow, Ganymede transit begins, Ganymede transit ends, Io shadow transit begins, Io transit begins, Io shadow transit ends, Io transit ends.

* 10: In progress at sunrise, double shadows (briefly), Io transit begins, Europa transit ends, Io shadow transit ends, Io transit ends.

* 15: GRS at meridian at sunrise, Ganymede shadow transit begins, Ganymede transit begins, Io shadow transit begins, Io transit begin.

* 17: Europa shadow transit begins, Europa transit begins, GRS nears meridian, lunar occultation begins!, lunar occultation ends, double shadows in progress, double transit in progress, GRS past meridian.

* 22: Afternoon, double shadows, Ganymede transit begins, Io transit begins, GRS crosses meridian.

* 24: GRS crosses meridian, Europa shadow transit begins, Io shadow transit begins, Io transit begins, Europa transit begins, Europa shadow transit ends, Io shadow transit ends, Io transit ends, Europa transit ends.

26: In progress at sunrise, Io shadow transit in progress, Io transit begins, Ganymede emerges from eclipse, Ganymede occulted, Io transit ends, Europa emerges from occultation, Ganymede emerges from occultation, GRS crosses meridian.

* 31: Mid-day, GRS crosses meridian, Io shadow transit begins, Europa shadow transit begins, Io transit begins, Europa transit begins, Io shadow transit ends, Europa shadow transit ends, Io transit ends, Europa transit end.

Now, most of these events are just after sunrise. A few of these events are in day-lit skies. So, challenging... For the keener? All require a telescope. Tracking recommended. The shadow of Io is the smallest of the inky black dots. And you'll need good seeing, to boot.

At the beginning of May, Jupiter rises at 6:45-ish and sets at 6-ish. By the end of the month, 5:00 and 4:45.

The Big One is on the 17th.

The 26th is fascinating for other reasons.

Now... some of these don't seem to match up with the RASC Observer's Handbook. But then, I only checked for ones visible in Ontario...