13 Jan 2015 Mid week Observation at Haig Girls School Field

[bornfree]

Location: Field beside Haig's Girls School near Joo Chiat
Time: 930pm to midnight
Participants: Junwei, Jusing, Peng Siong, Emmanuel, Guan Wei
Equipments: Zingaro 6", Reise 250D, Vixen Polarie + Canon 550D DSLR

Arriving at the field, we spent 20 mins to setup the Zingaro and Reise. First object to hunt would be the comet Lovejoy. No tail visible, unless with a bit of averted vision and a whole load of imagination, you can visualise the tail. Let's leave the tail to those imaging to bring it out. At last, after missing out on the comet ISON, at least i get to see Lovejoy. Hope one day i can see a comet with the tail streaking across the night sky. all we can see is a fuzzy ball with a hint of green, it has this globular cluster or a faint galaxy kind of feel it had to it.

It is always nice to look at M42 and its baby stars.. we also looked at M79, M41, M45 among other deep space objects.

the highlight was see Jupiter, first i noticed that there was a moon kissing the side of Jupiter. only later then we saw that it was drifting slightly further away. As Jupiter moved higher, see was getting better, then when looked at Jupiter, i saw a black dot smack right in the middle. i thought.. EP is dirty, dirt is so visible.. then as i moved to reposition Jupiter, the spot was still in the same place. OMG, i spotted a moon transit, then i asked Junwei to have a look, then he mentioned that the GRS was in view and another spot was right above the GRS, that is a double transit + GRS!! stumbled upon such rare occasion! Definitely worth bringing the scope out to setup! Everyone had a good nice long look at the rare transit and on a 8mm TV plossl it is not easy as the planet drifts quite fast.

The place is sure dark, a good obs location til the school reopens. til then this looks like quite a good place to obs.

[antares2063]

We also looked at h3945 aka winter Albireo and Hind's crimson star with its unique shade of red.

Guangwei helped to show me my scope can squeeze in the entire Beehive cluster (M44) at low power didnt realise... And he also spotted M35 in Gemini.

Chionged out to observe as the sky looked blue after work...and it was one last chance to bid comet Lovejoy adieu..

regards
Junwei

[Airconvent]

Nice obs report guys.
Always exicted to see the GRS...and moon transit shadow too!
And Albireo...an old favourite! You did not try Omega Centauri?

[antares2063]

Hi Richard , nope , Crux and Centaurus isn't up yet , we left at mid nite have to work today anyway

[Canopus Lim]

Cool. I also caught the double shadow transit and the GRS (which is rare, last I saw was many years back); which I did not plan ahead (never checked Sky Safari before hand)… just so happen! Had an awesome view of my favorite planet through my 12.5" scope and shared it with my SO.