Alright, this is for sharing of your observation experience. Or, if you are arranging gatherings, star-gazing expeditions or just want some company to go observing together, you can shout it out here.
Airconvent wrote:alamak....arrived there at 2145H with full battle gear and everyone had left and I can see why! How can you compete with dozens of kits, many with LED lighting? Looks like Marina barrage not a good place to obs as it has become a popular haunt for night time kite flyers.
Although Marina Barrage is a lot brighter than Tiong Bahru Park and lots of night kites, but it shouldn't be an issue as the kite seldom stay at one place for very long and it's got something that Tiong Bahru Park lack... lots of people. The only issue is parking as it's might be quite hard to find parking space for driver who might want to bring their scope.
Anyway, tonight had to leave quite earlier (around 9:45pm) as we came very early and did not had our dinner. Also, rlow was very tired as there are lots of people waiting to look through his 6" APO scope (only scope there) and rlow had no time to took a break for 2 hours... I can't really help out as I need to look after my camera setup (lot of kids running around, so very dangerous to left my camera setup alone) as I'm taking the before and after shots of the Earth Hour... So we had to left early... may be he shouldn't bring this 152 APO scope as this setup was too much to handle by him and his wife... his 11" dob was way more portable than this 6" APO setup. So may be next time those experience members can help the scope owner to manned the scope, so that the scope owner can take a break and won't be too tired.
By the way, we saw the ISS earlier... it was very bright... may be brighter than Venus. We try to look it through the scope, but only manage to saw it at low magnification.... a very bright rectangular object. High magnification should be better, but I think it might be moving too fast to track manually at high magnification.
Have a nice day.
Yang Weixing "The universe is composed mainly of hydrogen and ignorance."
10000rpm wrote:Can't be. I left about 9:30, Richard, Weixing and a couple of otheres were still there. Richard could not have packed his 26 kg worth of equipment in less than 15 mins n disappeared unless he is David Copperfield!
We were on the roof top. Maybe u went to the dam?
If rlow has trained himself like weixing, he can packup and go right on the button. I arrived at 2145 with no astronomers in sight. Then i got an sms from weixing that they just left for dinner so I guess the timing is right. Anyway, enjoyed the kites and city skyline for 5 min and vamoosed from there after that
weixing wrote:Hi,
By the way, we saw the ISS earlier... it was very bright... may be brighter than Venus. We try to look it through the scope, but only manage to saw it at low magnification.... a very bright rectangular object. High magnification should be better, but I think it might be moving too fast to track manually it high magnification.
wow..ISS again? Last time I saw it was at Astronomy 2008? Too bad I missed it but amazed only rlow brought his scope. There would have been more...if fact nearly 2 scopes there tonight
The Boldly Go Where No Meade Has Gone Before Captain, RSS Enterprise NCC1701R United Federation of the Planets
We try to look it through the scope, but only manage to saw it at low magnification.... a very bright rectangular object.
Through the scope at low power, it has two 'side wings' solar panels.
6" APO scope (only scope there) and rlow had no time to took a break for 2 hours...
Yeah, it would be good if you guys have offered to help manned the scope or explain astronomy to the public instead of chatting among yourselves... and leave it to one guy to do everything. And apart from Weixing, it would also be nice if others could offer to help carry the heavy 152 gear back to the car rather than walk alongside while I struggled in carrying two huge heavy baggage.
I would think Marina Barrage is a better location for Singastro Sidewalk Astro rather than Tiong Bahru Park, as there are lots of people for this outreach programme, and there is a lively, joyful & festive atmosphere.
There are also convenient facilities, ie, seats, toilet, food nearby. Car park is ok if we come earlier to park, or otherwise we can drop off our equipment near the entrance and get someone to look after it while we park the car.
Kites should not be a big issue as they generally avoid straying near the lift lobby structure. Lights can't be helped because the light pollution is everywhere... and we just need to introduce the public to easy bright objects like the Moon, planets, bright DSOs etc.
Unlike what we have done at Tiong Bahru Park for the whole of last year, if we continue at the Barrage, then we will need more 'volunteers' with the frame of mind to introduce & promote astronomy to the public, in the true spirit of the sidewalk astronomer.
10000rpm wrote:Can't be. I left about 9:30, Richard, Weixing and a couple of otheres were still there. Richard could not have packed his 26 kg worth of equipment in less than 15 mins n disappeared unless he is David Copperfield!
We were on the roof top. Maybe u went to the dam?
If rlow has trained himself like weixing, he can packup and go right on the button. I arrived at 2145 with no astronomers in sight. Then i got an sms from weixing that they just left for dinner so I guess the timing is right. Anyway, enjoyed the kites and city skyline for 5 min and vamoosed from there after that
weixing wrote:Hi,
By the way, we saw the ISS earlier... it was very bright... may be brighter than Venus. We try to look it through the scope, but only manage to saw it at low magnification.... a very bright rectangular object. High magnification should be better, but I think it might be moving too fast to track manually it high magnification.
wow..ISS again? Last time I saw it was at Astronomy 2008? Too bad I missed it but amazed only rlow brought his scope. There would have been more...if fact nearly 2 scopes there tonight
In fact it was nearly 3 scopes because i left my 127ed inside car as there were no carparking lots in barrage when i came, i had to park along driveway quite far away. will not be able to carry the heavy stuff all the way to the top.
In Fact it was nearly 3 scopes because i left my 127ed inside car as there were no carparking lots in barrage when i came, i had to park along driveway quite far away. will not be able to carry the heavy stuff all the way to the top.
Next time you can call us and we can send some guys down to help you unload the 127 at the Barrage entrance before you park your car.
![[smilie=crying3.gif]](./images/smilies/crying3.gif "crying3")
![[smilie=beg.gif]](./images/smilies/beg.gif "beg")
as I need to look after my camera setup (lot of kids running around, so very dangerous to left my camera setup alone) as I'm taking the before and after shots of the Earth Hour... So we had to left early... may be he shouldn't bring this 152 APO scope as this setup was too much to handle by him and his wife... his 11" dob was way more portable than this 6" APO setup. So may be next time those experience members can help the scope owner to manned the scope, so that the scope owner can take a break and won't be too tired.
"The universe is composed mainly of hydrogen and ignorance." 
![[smilie=cool.gif]](./images/smilies/cool.gif "cool")
