My 30min quickie Ob

[timatworksg]

Hi All!

As the tittle reads, it was just that! I'm no expert and just a beginner hobbyist with some old knowledge from my astronomy days in school! My Ob this night (Sunday 21st March 2010) was a short, quick and most importantly of all, FUN!!

Considering I was on leave on Wed, Thurs & Fri, I was looking to get some good observations these days, But wed was the only clear night with the rest extreme cloudy and to tired from some visits from relatives! I was also hoping to fool around with a new Vixen GP mount with Goto. Arrrgh!!
Oh! Forgot to mention, I live in Pasir Ris!

So the 21st of March was a last minute thing really. With time at 7.20pm and dinner just down the hatch, I took a step out to see the skies and noticed some heavy clouds but moving quickly away leaving clear dark blue areas where the milky way will cross! Temptation started. 7.30pm and I peeped outside again and Sirius greeted me!

I just grabbed my AltAz tripod, threw 2 EP's and a barlow into a side pouch, my cell and keys, grabbed my scope and asked my 7yr old daughter if she wanted to follow daddy. She jumped at the chance and helped me with the slow-mo rods and tripod tray. Location?...block next door, Multi Storey carpark all the way up!! Hence the small load!

For a 7yr old, walking up wasn't her idea of fun but she was enthusiastic nonetheless. Me?...puff, puff.

At the top, tripod down, scope on (the scope was in my living room for several hours so cooldown wasn't a prob) no time for finderscope, just went almost Zenith and focussed to The Orion Nebulae. Went for more zoom and let my daughter have a look! Then a little adjustment to the right and down, The moon in a nice viewable crescent. My daughters favourite and she hogged the scope till 'Daddy it's gone!!!' (actually orbit away from EP view..lol). Then move right and up to Mars. Then to Saturn slowly rising! Once more to Orion to complete my circular spin and it was pack up!
My daughter has school and me work next day so it's early to bed for her. Time was 8.15pm and after packing the stuff, sat back and explained to her how to find Sirius, Canopus and the route to Orion's belt! The faint stars below it to Orion's Nebulae, then the orange glow of Mars and the orange spot of Saturn with the naked eye!

All across the Milky Way the skies were clear and I wished I had more time! But a quick 30 min Ob, one full revolution of the scope, a handy helper and smiling 7yr old was enough to make me satisfied and set for home hoping to camp out on that car park top some time soon!

Sorry if this didn't sound like a discovery or an Ob of some grandeur. But sharing my 30min moment with not much planning, simple gear, a happy daughter, left me inspired and refreshed! Though a longer Ob session would have been better & satisfying, the temptation has now grown even bigger...with the desire! Now I can plan more, feeling refreshed and energized! Sometimes all it takes is a little spark to get you going! Daughter included!

Thanks for reading! Hope you liked my little adventure!

[Bergkamp_]

Cool! =) nice!

[Airconvent]

Congrats on your very first ob.
If you had the line of sight, you could show here Saturn too which would be the favourite first time object amongst most newbies. You live in Pasir Ris which is not far from the Tampinese Clear Sky Network Team led by Weixing, so do join him when you can. He will open your daughter eyes to even more objects!