27 Sep 2008 Short Observation Trip Report

[weixing]

Hi,
Last Saturday (27 Sep 2008), I, Richard Low & wife, David Lian & his friend went to Malaysia for a short observation trip. We set off at around 2:30pm via second link and clear both customs at around 3:30pm without any problems. We took a short break and buy some provision at one of the stop along the North-South Expressway before continue to the observation site. We reach the observation site at around 5:30pm.

The observation site is located at Kuala Sedili Besar which is at East Coast of Johor around 36km after Kota Tinggi town and on a cliff facing South China Sea... very nice view... too bad I didn't bring my camera along, so no picture to show. Richard Low already recce the area the week before and ask the land owner for permission to observe there. Also, there is a small nice resort called Tanjung Sutera Resort ( http://www.tanjungsutera.com/ ) near by which we take our dinner there.

After the dinner, we start to setup our scopes: Richard Low bring his Takahashi Mewlon-210 and Stellarvue F80MI scope on AstroSlew I and the Orion StarBlast 4.5 on Astroslew IV for his wife. David Lian bring his 6" F5 Achro Refractor on AstroSlew I and I, as usual bring my Vixen R200SS on AstroSlew II. Hmm... we are the AstroSlew gang... ha ha ha

Anyway, the weather wasn't that good with high clouds all over the sky, but still can see the Milky Way quite clearly. We observe till around 11:30pm when the weather start to degrade. We pack up and reach Singapore at around 2am. Below is the list of objects that I manage to find with my rusty Star Hopping skills:
1) M2 Globular Cluster,
2) M15 Great Pegasus Cluster,
3) M72 Globular Cluster,
4) M71 Globular Cluster,
5) M57 Ring Nebula,
6) M20 Trifid Nebula,
7) M8 Lagoon Nebula,
8) M31, M32 and M110 Andromeda Galaxy and it's satellite galaxy,
9) M7 Ptolemy's Cluster,
10) M6 Butterfly Cluster,
11) M33 Triangulum Galaxy,
12) M4 Globular Cluster,
13) NGC 7009 Saturn Nebula,
14) Veil Nebula,
15) M27 Dumbbell Nebula,
16) M24 Star Cloud, and
17) M45 Pleiades star cluster.

Hope the weather will be better next time we went to Malaysia for observation.

Have a nice day.

[Tachyon]

Is the site good for AP?

[weixing]

Hi,

Is the site good for AP?

Although there wasn't much wind when we were observing, but I guess the wind might be an issue since it's on a cliff. So if you want to do AP at a dark site, Mersing is still a better place.

For me, I'll be only doing AP in Singapore since I don't have access to the dark site regularly, so best to make full use of it doing visual observation. Also, I can control when and how long the session going to be in Singapore... light pollution is not a big issue at the moment since my current plan is to shoot those brighter objects. Just waiting for a long, clear night on weekend which is currently very rare.

By the way, the northern and eastern of the site is very dark and no light pollution at all since it's face the south china sea, but there are light pollution on the southern and western direction. Also, the site is beside a small road, so there are some traffic at night... most of them are motorcycle.

Have a nice day.

[Tachyon]

Thanks WX!

[Meng Lee]

That resort looks familar. Seems to have seen pictures of it taken by Carole and Remus.

[zackae]

M33 yeaahh been waiting the see that!

[MooEy]

oo, sounds fun, new place. can i join in the astroslew gang?

~MooEy~

[rlow]

Though it seems I have been quite 'quiet' lately in this forum, some of you already knew that I have been driving regularly into M'sia for observing and to recce for new ob sites. My recce objective was to find a suitable dark site for observing that is within reasonable distance, and preferably of a shorter driving time as compared to Telok Sari (Mersing). In fact I have driven to M'sia a total of six times over the last three months. We met Kim Miau and his friends twice and together we have discovered a good ob site somewhere along the way to Gunung Belumut (which I have climbed before). Perhaps Kim Miau can elaborate more on this. We also recce and observed at Sedili Bersar, which has a scenic cliff-edge view as Weixing highlighted above. Here's a quick summary of our recce findings:

Telok Sari (0.5 hours after Mersing)
- 3.5 hours drive (at average speed, though some can make it <3 hrs)
- large open grassy field with clear view of sky all around
- dark, though there are minor light domes getting brighter over the years
- some minor light interference from passing vehicles
- potential for future lamp posts along the road

Belumut site (0.5 hours after Kluang)
- 2 hours drive along NS highway
- site is a small residential road unused at night, adjacent to five houses
- permission for obbing has been obtained from the residents.
- dark sky (Milky Way easily visible) with some small light domes
- sky condition is perhaps just slightly brighter than Telok Sari
- some light interference from houses and passing vehicles
- potential for heavy dew, foggy conditions

Sedili Besar (which is halfway between Desaru and Mersing)
- 1.5 hours from JB Causeway, driving along the same trunk road to Mersing (3rd right turn after the Kota Tinggi junction)
- site is a small open cliffside space facing the sea
- permission for obbing has been obtained from the residents
- sky condition is perhaps just slightly brighter than Telok Sari & Belumut
- some light interference from houses and passing vehicles

In short, all three locations are good for obbing, though Telok Sari is currently still the best in terms of sky darkness. Sedili Besar would be the most convenient in terms of shortest travelling time for S'poreans.

We will be making more regular ob trips and you are all welcome to join us in my car or drive along in a convoy. In fact another convoy is heading off this evening 5-6pm and there is some space available.

[Tachyon]

Thanks Richard, for doing the scouting!

Do keep exploring and keep us posted!