Mersing Trip 23th Sep. 2006 Registration (Clouded out...)

[jiahao1986]

Well, weather was terrible, though it cleared for 1 hour with terrible transparency and seeing. For most of the time, we just lay on the ground sheets appreciating the lightnings.

During the one hour 'clear' sky, we observed Uranus, Neptune, M2, M6, M7, M8, M15, M16, M17, M20, M22 and some other M objects. The seeing was terrible to the extent that I could not focus the image at high power, M22 couldn't be resolved clearly at 270x in my ETX(in Singapore even can under good seeing). Transparency was terrible to the extent that the Helix Nebula couldn't be seen even with Mewlon210...

Anyway, at least we saw something, and it was also a nice experience talking and sleeping in the field under lightning-filled sky(surprisingly no mosquitos!). Besides, at the very beginnig, all of us saw something very bright and green striking through the sky, illuminating the foregroud clouds, may be a bright meteor.

We left early at 3am due to bad weather, had some nice pratas, and cleared through the custom within 5 minutes!!! Afterall, the four Mersing new comers did bring some clear skies though it seemed impossible

[rlow]

Fortunately we managed to clear the customs quickly. Unfortunately, save for a short period of relatively clear sky when the Milky Way was visible from Scorpius to Cygnus, the night was generally clouded over. But we enjoyed the seafood dinner (nothing was left on the dinner plates, even the sauce!), fried rice & biscuit supper and the roti prata breakfast.

Tonight (Sunday night), Matthew and Kochu are now at Mersing... I wished them good luck!

[jiahao1986]

Here wanna thank Richard for the arrangement very much, it wouldn't have been so smooth without him.

[kochu]

Fortunately we managed to clear the customs quickly. Unfortunately, save for a short period of relatively clear sky when the Milky Way was visible from Scorpius to Cygnus, the night was generally clouded over. But we enjoyed the seafood dinner (nothing was left on the dinner plates, even the sauce!), fried rice & biscuit supper and the roti prata breakfast.

Tonight (Sunday night), Matthew and Kochu are now at Mersing... I wished them good luck!

Skies on Sunday was not different . About 30 % above and to some extent in east was clear from about 2030. How ever condition was not good enough for imaging. I just managed to try out my new mount and scope.

Kochu/25-9-06
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