Very cloudy now at Toa Payoh and the satellite images do not look promising. So as of now, it is a no-go for me.
As I am not staying near Changi area, I am not able to update everyone else accurately about the weather there from now onwards. Those who wish to attend please feel free to co-ordinate among yourselves and update this thread accordingly.
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Hi Friends. This is just an expression of interest and support for a potential stargazing event for this coming long weekend.
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Name of Event: Solar System Star Party 2011 (SSSP)
Starting Date & Time: Saturday, 30 April 2011 Sunset
Ending Date & Time: Sunday, 1 May 2011 Sunrise
(Monday, 2 May 2011 is a Public Holiday)
Main Focus / Catch phrase: See ALL planets in "ONE" evening.
(In reality, it is one evening + next day's early morning.)
Location: Changi Beach Park
Activities: Stargazing. Camping. Private/Public Astro Buy Sell Trading.
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Rationale for Date (Sat 30 Apr):
(1) Friday - A night of a working day may be too tiring to stay awake overnight.
(2) Sunday - Overnight means till Monday morning. Body clock may not have sufficient time to adjust for work on the following day (Tuesday).
(3) Saturday - Should be the best because after one night of good long sleep, higher chance and willingness to stay up overnight.
Rationale for Location (Changi Beach Park):
(1) Near bus interchange
(2) Good eastern view. Great northern view.
(3) Plenty of space to set up tents
(4) Nearby access to 24 hour food court (nasi lemak!)
(5) In the food court, there are a few POSB ATMs. Convenient for facilitating potential astro buying and selling. (Grow & Share funds should be banked in by that very evening.
)Those who do not wish to stay awake after observing Saturn while waiting for the stellarium of planets (venus, jupiter, mercury, mars) to rise just before sunrise can sleep in their tents in the meantime. Those who are awake can wake them up if the sky is clear enough by then to see the planets. Else, let them continue to enjoy their beauty sleep.
Feel free to suggest other better location, timing and activities. All constructive comments are welcomed.
![[smilie=crying2.gif]](./images/smilies/crying2.gif "crying2")
Last time I saw all the major planets in the same section of the sky was earlier part of the last decade. One evening I left my office, gaze at an amazingly clear and cloudless sunset horizon and there was Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn. 2 others were in the same field but not visible visually from where I was looking. And worse, i left my ETX90 at home (having brought it to work the previous few days to cloudy skies!).![[smilie=cool.gif]](./images/smilies/cool.gif "cool")
![[smilie=sigh.gif]](./images/smilies/sigh.gif "sigh")
"The universe is composed mainly of hydrogen and ignorance." 