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Post by Mike on Apr 6, 2014 14:59:02 GMT -5
All right James! Good publicity. Your devotion to outreach is truly admirable.
Mike
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Post by jamesling1000 on Apr 8, 2014 21:30:16 GMT -5
Duplicate.....
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Post by jamesling1000 on Apr 8, 2014 21:36:34 GMT -5
Hi Mike.... Thanks for your comment..... Hi ALL..... Although I am trying to put this 8" ISTAR on all side walk occasions, if possible, as I know it really generate a lot of public attention.... Last weekend side walk , I didn't bring this along for my friend's monthly astronomy talk, coz the weather is pretty bad , the whole day till evening time... After considering the next day the need to rush back to work at 7am, I decided just to bring my 152 APM ED APO, which is very handy and convenient....for all logistic and transportation purposes. But at the end of the astro talk, around 8.30pm, we still manage to spot the crescent moon and Jupiter, while Mars was spotted at 10pm, after it climbs higher and clears from the thick clouds.... Again as usual, when I did not bring the 8" ISTAR, people asking me why don't I bring it.... And this time, is from a small little girl? ? Although the public may not know the brand ISTAR, but they know the big and long giant telescope...THE ONLY ONE IN SINGAPORE.... Regards James Ling
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Post by bn1777 on Apr 10, 2014 8:05:17 GMT -5
JAMES ,, YOU ARE AN INSPIRATION TO US ALL ! Your work in popularising AMETURE ASTRONONY has to be appreaciated ,, and mate it is by me ,, awesome mate . Especially that 8 inch of yours , I can only imagine how it inspires young ( old ) aspiring astronomers ,, again James ,,, a BIG ,, THANK ! YOU ! .
I give you my all mate .
Brian.
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Post by jamesling1000 on Aug 3, 2014 23:59:50 GMT -5
Hi All.... It seems quite some time I did not post on any sidewalk activities with regards to my 8" ISTAR.... As I am quite busy since beginning this year, with oversea work assignments, I tried to involve at least once every month .... But the last 2 to 3 months I am still not able to do so, partly with heavy work load , as well as the poor weather that is affecting out region... In May, I only brought my Ultima C8 GOTO, as I need to rush back to work the next morning... In June, I am stuck at my workplace, not able to rush back.. In July, the weather is so bad, that i give up in attending the planned event... Even last weekend, the weather has not been promising, and is very cloudy during the evening time... But I took a gamble this time, packed my 8" ISTAR and travel down to my friend, Gary , to attend his astronomy talk, and hopefully is possible to do the sidewalk after his talk.... As usual I reached there before 7.30pm to unload, and this time I even heard thundering ..and moved my scope and accessories into the library... So instead of busy setting up my scope, I listened to my friend, Gary's astronomy talk...THE SUMMER TRIANGLE... So even Vega and Altair has a nice oriental romantic story to tell on this special Chinese 7th day in the 7th Lunar month....( COWHERD - ALTAIR AND WEAVER GIRL - VEGA)and if you want to know why there are 2 stars beside Altair, and that is their 2 child....And on the 7th lunar day , in the 7th lunar month , the Chinese know today is the special day granted for this couple to meet up , Chinese Valentine Day, hahaha... After Gary's talk, I quickly brought all my telescope and accessories out form the library, as it will close in 30 mins time... As I sat at the concrete bench outside the library, together with my astronomy friends, the sky region that we wanted to show the public , which is the 7 days old moon and Saturn is still heavily blocked by the clouds... But surprisingly, Vega is visible....in the northern sky. With the crowds not willing to disperse after the astronomy talk, I decided to setup my 8" ISTAR , maybe just show them Vega, and Albireo... The 2 attachment photos are for the setup of this 8" refractor , after the crowds wanted to see at least Vega.... Regards James Ling... To be continued....
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Post by jamesling1000 on Aug 4, 2014 0:10:17 GMT -5
Hi ALL.... Strange thing happened during last weekend , while I setup my 8" ISTAR.... It seems that COWHERD AND WEATHER GIRL does not want to disappoint us for this special occasion... The Western portion suddenly breaks up , and the 7 days old month is visible although there are still clouds moving over it... And I quickly aimed the 8" ISTAR to the 7 days old moon, while the crowds now anxiously waiting and queuing up to see how does the moon look like in the eye piece.... Below photo attachment shows the crowds waiting despite the poor weather, and now they are rewarded by staying back.... Regards James Ling To be continued....
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Post by jamesling1000 on Aug 4, 2014 3:12:31 GMT -5
Hi All.... Although we are now able to view at the moon, but due to the clouds that are moving pass the Western side, after 30 mins into the setting the scope at the moon, with numerous stoppages, and looking higher up in the sky, Saturn is visible and not block much by the clouds.., I decided to move the scope towards Saturn... I think everyone who has a telescope, know so much details you can see on the moon surface, and I don't need to mention again how much MORE YOU CAN EXPECT FORM THIS 8" ISTAR, hahaha.... But once the scope is pointing at Saturn, I can immediately set my ISTAR at 225X using my Baader Hyperion Zoom, at 8mm, to view at Saturn with its beautiful rings, and Titan, about 3 to 4 rings diameter away from the planet.....Even under such a cloudy sky... with a very thin layer covering it.... The crowds really enjoyed what is been shown to them tonight.... With many of them, not one, two or three, asking when we are back for another session.... I really feel so touching with people when looking through the eye piece, their surprised expression, making me want to do more to enable more people to know about this wonderful universe... The following attachments show how people enjoying it, and also a father trying to get his little girl at the eye piece....while I keep watching the sky as the clouds roll in and out...... Regards James Ling
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Post by jamesling1000 on Aug 4, 2014 3:22:42 GMT -5
Hi All...
With this month sidewalk , from a disappointing weather, and ends up to be another successful one, which around 100 person have viewed through the 8" ISTAR, not forgetting two more scopes are also being deployed to spread up the crowd... I will be looking forward for the next month two planned events..OUR ORIENTAL LUNAR MOON CAKE FESTIVAL.... One is at this usual library area, and another at the army club house....
Hopefully the good weather will enable me to share again with all of you on the 8" ISTAR......
Thank You..
REgards
James Ling
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Post by Mike on Aug 4, 2014 14:22:49 GMT -5
James, is there room on that scope for a couple of Istar decals? IF so, private message me with your address.
Mike
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Post by jamesling1000 on Aug 4, 2014 18:44:28 GMT -5
Hi Mike..
Thanks..
I have sent you a message...
It will be nice to have photos showing ISTAR decal , on my 8" refractor for coming august sidewalk...
Regards
James
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Post by jamesling1000 on Sept 14, 2014 7:56:26 GMT -5
Hi All.... This is an update from last night sidewalk event at one of our army club house..... The previous weekend sidewalk at the library area, is not successful as the weather is so bad that we couldn't even see the 13 days old moon.... But yesterday weather took a turn , whereby the whole day is similar like previous weekend with thick clouds and haze from the forest fire, until late afternoon, the thick clouds started to clear and the few of us went over to the army club to setup our scopes around 6pm.... Usually I setup my scope after 7.30pm, but this time I set it up an hour earlier, coz Saturn is already quite low in the west after night fall.... The following photos shows the setup of the 8" ISTAR......at the club house basketball court area..... You can see clearly the ISTAR logo at the 8" ISTAR countercell..... REgards James Ling
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Post by jamesling1000 on Sept 14, 2014 8:16:12 GMT -5
Hi All..... As usual , the 8" ISTAR is setup mainly for the planets viewing, as it has the aperture to go for higher magnification.. And Saturn is now already quite low in the west after sunset, it is very much smaller as compared to during opposition times.... The following photos show me setting up the 8" ISTAR at the gas planet, Saturn.... The Photo of Saturn is taken from my hand phone at 225X , and the actual view through the eye-piece is very sharp , with 3 moons easily visible , and the cloud bands also visible on the surface of Saturn's globe. The following is from my friend's twitter after he has seen through the 8" ISTAR last night.... /photo/1 Regards James
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Post by jamesling1000 on Sept 14, 2014 8:41:52 GMT -5
Hi All.... Last night , as the public is not very much , since is in a club house, there is plenty of times to move the 8" ISTAR to DSO, which normally at the library area, is not possible due to the crowds is continuous for 1.5 to 2 hours... And the 8" ISTAR at F9 , with its large aperture, is able to see the following DSO clearly even in a very heavily light polluted city..... 1. M7 is terrific, with the open cluster stars shining so brilliantly at 75X, with my baader zoom set at 24mm... 2. M6 the butterfly cluster, is also as great as M7.... 3. M8 although the stars are shining brightly, but the gas clouds is very faint, simply our area that we observed is heavily light polluted.... 4. M22, the globular cluster is also very faint, but still can be seen clearly through the 8" ISTAR... 5. Albiero is simply fantastic, under this kind of hazely and light clouds, shines very brightly , as my friend Gary's remarks.... 6. The double double beside Vega also split easily , at 225X, and shining so brilliantly and brightly as Gary's remarks.... 7. Unfortunately the 8" ISTAR miss the Ring Nebula coz is blocked by the building........Otherwise it will make a grand finale for the night.... Following photo is myself with the ISTAR showing the ISTAR logo that Mike sent to me.... Just want to comment, is a bit small for the 8" ISTAR, hahaha.... Thank you... Regards James Ling
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