Comet Lovejoy Party + Equip Festival 2015!!! [10 Jan 2015]

[rcj]

Here is the finalised notice for the Comet Lovejoy Party & Telescope Display 2015 (CP2015) event on 10 January 2015 (Saturday).

The details for CP2015 is now finalized and are as follows:

Venue: East Coast Park Big field next to Carpark E2 (opposite East Coast Lagoon Food Centre)
Date/Time: 10 January 2015 (Saturday), 1800HRS (telescope owners should be on-site by 1700HRS).
Suggested parking lots on Carpark E2 for TELESCOPE OWNERS ONLY: 1 to 26F (the big field is directly next to these carpark lots and you just need to walk a short distance “down” a gentle scope to the field)
Suggested parking lots of members of public: Carparks E2 and E3
Comet Info Poster: http://www.celestialportraits.com/temp/CometPoster.jpg

Please feel free to come (bring your family and friends!!) with or without instruments, it is open to all!

However if you are keen to bring your optical instrument(s): we would appreciate if you could furnish us with the following details as soon as possible:

- confirmation of your attendance
- number of instruments (telescope(s) or big binoculars) and their model(s)

Useful Information:
1) There is a provision store (you can buy drinks, etc), called Coastline Leisure, next to the big field that will be open till 0300HRS on event day.
2) Carpark charges are at your own expense ($0.50 per half hourly on event day).
3) Nearest toilet facilities are available at the food centre entrance.
4) DBS ATM machine is available at the food centre side entrance.
5) Please bring your own telescope/instrument rain covers in case of contingencies.
6) There is no official end time for the event, and event is weather permitting.
7) You may have your dinner at the East Coast Lagoon Food Centre.
8) At all times, you are advised to look after your own instruments (or assign someone to help you), and any loss or damage to your instrument entities will not be the due responsibility of the organisers.

Thanks again for your participation. Certainly looking forward to meeting you and everyone else at CP2015!

CP2015 Field Site Location (Courtesy of starfinder)


Cheers!

[rcj]

Certainly agree with Gerarddyn!

Update on telescopes to be expected (last update 5 January):

1) Meade Lightbridge 12" Truss-tube Dobsonian
2) Astrophysics AP130GT Refractor on Paramount PMX
3) Vixen VMC260L Cassegrain on Paramount PMX
4) Third Planet Optics 200mm Newtonian (TPO 8”F4) on G11
5) Takahashi FCT 76 on Losmandy GM8
6) Astro Tech 6” RC on Vixen GP
7) Sumerian Alkaid 12” Truss-tube Dobsonian
8) Zingaro Portable 6” Newtonian
9) Obsession Classic 12.5” GOTO Truss-tube Dobsonian
10) Stellarvue Raptor 90mm (Carbon-fibre) Refractor
11) Skywatcher 10” GOTO Truss-tube Dobsonian
12) Explore Scientific ES80 Refractor
13) Obsession UC 18” Truss-tube Dobsonian
14) Meade 10” SCT
15) Celestron C6 SCT
16) Astro Tech 65 Refractor
17) Meade 12” SCT
18) Borg 90FL Refractor
19) Pentax 75SDHF Refractor
20) Celestron ULTIMA 8” SCT
21) Reise 250D 10" Truss-tube Dobsonian
22) Celestron Nexstar 5” SCT
23) Skywatcher 5” Maksutov
24) Televue Ranger on Cube Pro
25) Explore Scientific Comet Hunter 152 Maksutov-Newt on Sphinx SX2
26) Celestron C8 SCT on Skywatcher HEQ5
27) Celestron C6 SCT on Vixen GPDX-SS2K
28) Sharpstar AL-80II ED Refractor on Ioptron ZEQ-25
29) Orion 110mm Refractor
30) Vixen VMC200L on Vixen Sphinx SXW
31) Barska Magnus 80ED Refractor
32) Takahashi Mewlon 210 on Ioptron ZEQ-25
33) Celestron C14 SCT on Vixen Atlux
34) Meade ETX 105
35) Takahashi FSQ85ED
36) Celestron C9.25 SCT on iEQ45
37) AstroTech 80ED
38) Televue 60 APO Refractor
39) William Optics Zenithstar 66
40) 22” Zambuto-Astrosky Travel Dobsonian
41) Borg 90FL Refractor
42) Mag 1 Instruments 12.5” Portaball Dobsonian
43) Celestron CGEM EdgeHD 800 SCT
44) Orion ST80 Refractor
45) Meade LX200 12” SCT
46) Skywatcher 8” GOTO Truss-tube Dobsonian
47) Takahashi Mewlon 210
48) Celestron C90 Maksutov
49) 2 x Celestron C6 SCT
50) Celestron Firstscope 76mm Reflector
51) Vixen Refractor
52) Celestron Nexstar 8” SE SCT
53) Explore Scientific 80mm ED Refractor
54) Takahashi E130D on Losmandy GM8
55) Vixen R200SS
56) William Optics FLT98

We have reached over 50 telescopes!

[Airconvent]

wow..brings back memories, Remus. I will try to be there with my Meade 105mm but can't confirm until nearer the date. if the date is confrmed, I can do some publicity to my other interest groups..

[starfinder]

Am looking forward to this!

Sat 10 Jan 2015 was selected for this event as Comet Q2 Lovejoy would be at its brightest in those few days, presently estimated at mag +4.2.

10 Jan would just be a few days after the comet's closest approach to Earth on 7 Jan, with perihelion passage on 30 Jan. Furthermore, 10 Jan would just be a day after the comet crosses over from Earth's southern celestial hemisphere to the north, matching Singapore's latitude.

At 8:00pm, the comet would already be 64 deg above the horizon in Taurus, due East, about 13 deg 'above' (west of) Orion's bow, like some celestial hunter's target.

At 9:43:58pm over the ECP field, the comet would culminate/transit at 87 deg 17 min above the horizon, due North. Thus it would for practical purposes be directly overhead us. Now that's something special for a mag 4+ comet during full darkness! Something quite rare: just look directly up for the comet.

The Moon would rise at 11.03pm (75%), Jupiter at 9:15pm.

Hope the weather would be good!

[Airconvent]

Let's pray that the weather would be good on the 10th! It has been raining these past few days. I think Mr Au would be there too looking at the equipment list !

[PharAstro]

Any plan for a rain/cloud date?

[rcj]

Yes. been longing for an event of this scale like this one, and hoping to see everyone there once again, young and old, previous and current generations.

Updated original post with publicity poster. Currently, we have about 22 telescope setups, and still increasing...

Many thanks to all who have graciously come forward for volunteering their time, effort and instruments to this event. Can't wait for the day, looking forward!

[rcj]

Update: original post content has been completely revised. Event site location has been shifted to the big field next to Carpark E2. This big field is capable of taking more than 100 telescope setups, and is conveniently located to the East Coast Lagoon Food Centre (nearest toilet facilities). Those driving may park at lots 1 to 26F, and the field is directly next to these lots. Open to all! Free to come! Please spread the news!

[weixing]

Hi,
Should be able to come with my C6 with GPDX setup. Just add a skysensor 2000 to it, but weather is bad recently, so no chance to test the GOTO yet... hope got chance to test out the GOTO first before the event...

Have a nice day.

[rcj]

thanks Weixing! See you soon! Equip list updated.