Drawing of Jupiter by James E. Keeler, 1890

This beautifully executed drawing of the planet Jupiter was made at the eyepiece of Lick's Great 36-inch Refractor, by the gifted young astronomer James Keeler. The careful rendering and precise annotations are typical of Keeler's patient and exacting style of observing, and a testament to his draughtsmanship. The fine detail he was able to record speaks also of the exceptionally steady atmosphere on the night the drawing was made. Keeler estimated the "seeing"—a measure of the image quality on a given night—to be "4 and sometimes 5" on a scale where 5 is as good as it gets. Sadly, Keeler, a promising career before him, died in August 1900 at the age of forty-two, just ten years and a month after making this drawing.

Lick Historical Collections, manuscripts, Keeler observing books.