Stargazing @ Toa Payoh Library - 17 June 2011

Gary · Post by **Gary** » Fri Jun 17, 2011 5:54 pm

Weather permitting, I will be conducting a sidewalk session at open space outside Toa Payoh Library from about 8pm onwards. Main focus is Saturn followed by Moon later in the evening. Hopefully, can also catch some nice star clusters in scorpius constellation.

Come play with the "talking" telescope Meade LS-6 before the potential buyer grab it from me next week and lock it up in a dry cabinet forever.

All are welcomed, with or without telescope.

Post by **Airconvent** » Fri Jun 17, 2011 10:27 pm

ooo..I'll love to see this baby in action Gary!..But just logged on to read your post. Its too late now I guess. Anyway, do post a review on how it performs. Tachyon had one but he did not manage to get the GPS to work as I recall.
And yees..post pictures! [smilie=cute.gif]

Gary · Post by **Gary** » Sat Jun 18, 2011 7:06 am

Hi Richard. Not too late actually. I just came back from the observation session at about 5 am and it just started raining here now as I am typing this.

Here's the report:

- Zong and Clifford with his big binoculars came and helped out in the sidewalk session. Always great to catch up with them in person. Got some fun report from Zong about SSC lunar eclipse event which he attended.

- First time I am bringing a GOTO scope for sidewalk. No more "wait I adjust for you first" for every single person in the queue.

- Saw super fuzzy ring nebula. Can't see the hole in the middle but definitely see a hazy circular patch (Zong: Told you so.

Clifford saw it too after you left

)

- Saw M2 and M15 for the first time! Thanks to Meade GOTO accuracy because there is absolutely no naked eye visible star around that whole area.These 2 fuzzy patches are definitely brighter than the ring nebula (perhaps due to the changes in seeing). Under such challenging conditions some more - the surrounding unshielded lamps and a big bright moon near zenith. Logged and checked off these 2 messiers in my android messier app.

- Meade LS split the Lyra double double! Good mood now because of that. That's why bothered to write this report.

- Attached a focal reducer + a low profile SCT 2" diagonal and the scope still managed to point at zenith without the diagonal touching the base. But it was very very close - perhaps about 2 mm? Without the focal reducer, plenty of clearance.

- Tried my grenade and clifford's grenade eyepiece on the LS. No perceivable jerky tracking motions at all through the eyepieces. Even tried grenade-on-barlow combo. No major issues except the focusing shakes were slightly more obvious under such loads.

- Meade LS was running the latest firmware 1.6a (october 2010). No GPS detection problem during the session and as with the 2 previous times I have tested it near my place.

- Clifford showed us the coat hangar. Stars in Jewel box were twinkling.

- Took a photo and a video recording of the Moon using my phone camera through Clifford's bino. Who says binoculars can't do AP?

(Clifford: Now I have hard evidence of the CA of your bino. LOL.

)

- Once again, reminded myself how spectacular Moon looked through a binoviewer compared to a single eyepiece. Forgot to try that on Saturn earlier in the evening due to the sidewalk crowd.

- Saw Neptune! Again, thanks to GOTO.

- Battery died when I was just about to GOTO Pluto (after 8 hours of operation). Scope got stuck in a non-shutdown position! The dreaded message kept showing whenever I power down and up again and refused to go away or complete what it is trying to do - "Power Lost. Saving State ...". I had 8 fresh C batteries inside the LS. Tried different combinations for powering up and down and was about to give up and take a cab back home hugging the scope in the stuck position. But since I was still not sleepy and it wasn't raining, I gave it one last different power up/down combo and it worked! Yay! I have never felt so excited and happy seeing something shutting down. LOL

To my potential buyer: I hope you are reading this. I now have 2 veteran witness of the optical performance of this soon-to-be-yours scope.

More details of every single point above plus photos in my future blog post (if I have the time to blog about it.

)

Clifford60 · Post by **Clifford60** » Sat Jun 18, 2011 8:42 am

Your battery too small lah, need at least a 7Ahr size to run over the night. Next time I can bring an extra "drink" for the LS scope, if it still turn up at sidewalk. haha

Anyway, nice report, imagine what we will be able to see if we are at places like ECP or Turf City.

Wow, notice that you've posted 888 posts, do capture the screen before your next post.

questionmak · Post by **questionmak** » Sat Jun 18, 2011 1:05 pm

Thanks for the invite Gary, if only i knew u were there till late. Saw your mail reply over dinner and I thought it was too late. Next time perhaps.

elnie · Post by **elnie** » Sat Jun 18, 2011 2:20 pm

Hi all, I'm new to this forum. Thrilled to find it. I've also taken a greater interest in astronomy only recently.

Where near Toa Payoh library are you guys "anchored" usually? I'd love to come see. I look up at the sky from my drive way, and am always curious if I'm identifying the right constellations.

Thanks.
Elnie

BTW, Gary, I stumbled upon your blog, and then this. Your blog is really nice.

Clifford60 · Post by **Clifford60** » Sat Jun 18, 2011 5:20 pm

Hi Elnie, welcome to Singastro, we are at the open area just in front of the library. Easy to find us when we are there, you can't miss the telescope.

elnie · Post by **elnie** » Sat Jun 18, 2011 5:27 pm

Thanks Clifford. I will stay tuned, and hopefully join y'all on your next event.

I was connecting the "dots" of a constellation which I've long mistaken as gemini, and realized it's actually Centaurus. I took pictures from my driveway facing south. So this is really exciting for me. Then I found Crux at the foot, and a little faint bit (after my photo is enhanced) of Hydra.

I've never gotten close to a big telescope before, so I'm hoping I get to see through one 1 day.

Anyway. I was at Toa Payoh CC last night, but I only saw this post today. Is there any Twitter updates on such events that I can follow?

Thanks.
Elnie

Gary · Post by **Gary** » Sat Jun 18, 2011 5:50 pm

@Clifford: 888. No wonder the sky was clear.

The Batam guys had a fantastic time last night too. Looking forward to Meng Lee's astro photos.

@Elnie: Welcome to Singastro. Glad you like my blog and thanks for the compliment. You can follow my twitter for info about my future observation sessions and other major astro events : http://twitter.com/astrosg . I usually announce my sidewalks here at the same time.

Glad you figured out some of the constellations. It is an amazing feeling doing that for the first time. I am glad mine was Scorpius. Using a free desktop planetarium software like Stellarium (www.stellarium.org) will be useful and also apps on smart phones (e.g. free google sky map on android and free stellarium on iphone OS).

Have fun reading books and magazines on stargazing and telescope in major bookstores like kinokuniya and borders and public libraries (section 520).

Be prepared to get "poisoned". Absolutely no cure whatsoever.

elnie · Post by **elnie** » Sat Jun 18, 2011 5:57 pm

@Gary: Already followed your tweet since Thursday.

I'm glad I found this group. Everyone at home thinks I'm nuts staying up late outside with my camera and tripod on clear nights.

BTW, those Astronomy magazines, you can find them at the Bishan Library (if they're not already checked out by me)....hehehe...they have pretty recent copies (though many a times, there's none left. All on loan)

SingAstro

Stargazing @ Toa Payoh Library - 17 June 2011

Stargazing @ Toa Payoh Library - 17 June 2011

Where near Toa Payoh library are you guys viewing from?

Excited about my discovery