September 18, 2010 InOMN at AstroCamp Report
by James Kevin Ty
Images by James Kevin Ty & Andrew Ian Chan

through STAR PAPER CORP Official Philippine Distributor of Celestron available at Cutting Edge stores: 2/F Trinoma, QC Tel: 901-3229 UGF, Bldg. A, SM Megamall Tel: 633-8601 3/F, Greenbelt 5, Makati City Tel: 728-0351 4/F Eastwood Mall, Libis, QC  Tel: 470-9247 2/F, Entertainment Mall, SM Mall of Asia Tel: 566-0394

Last September 18 , members of the Astronomical League of the Philippines (ALP) celebrated the 1st International Observe the Moon Night ( InOMN) at AstroCamp Observatory in SM Mall of Asia San Miguel by the Bay by providing free public viewing of the Moon through low, medium and high power magnification between 5:30pm -10:00pm.  The InOMN was created this year to get public awareness not only to observe the beauty of our nearest neighbor but also promote lunar mission awareness by various international agencies like Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Education and Public Outreach , NASA Lunar Science Institute (NLSI) , Lunar Atmosphere and Dust Environment Explorer , Lunar Quest Office at NASA Marshall Space Flight Center , The Lunar and Planetary Institute (LPI) , Astronomers Without Borders , The Astronomical Society of the Pacific & the NASA Night Sky Network , Gemini Observatory , and the International Year of Astronomy .

Members who were there to help facilitate the event  were ALP President James Kevin Ty , wife Charito Ty and son Kendrick Cole (KC) Ty, Myra Lee  and son Jason Lee, Andrew Ian Chan,  Christopher Louie Lu, John Ray Cabrera, Babak Parhizkari and friend Amir Mohamadi, Kevin Dagunan, Crispin Riosa,  Christopher Lee, Mark Ian Singson, Kristine Angeli Valdez and friend Nikka Santos, and Michelle Lampa. Mr. Bernie Esporlas as well as some staffs of Cutting Edge were also present to help provide manpower and scope equipment.

The event started at around 5:30pm with fellow ALPers starting to setup their telescopes beside the Astrocamp's main scope , a Celestron C11 Schmidt-Cassegrain reflector on Atlas EQ-6 mount. ALP president brought along a Meade ETX-90AT Maksutov-Cassegrain; Babak Parhizkari brought along his SkyWatcher Mak 102 on Takahashi Sky Patrol 2 mount,  Andrew Ian Chan with his Skywatcher 80ED refractor on Vixen GP mount.  Astrocamp also provided several scopes for event use such as Celestron C90 Maksutov-Cassegrain, William Optics 66SD refractor and a 10" Discovery Newtonian reflector.  Cutting Edge, through Star Paper Corp, the official Celestron dealer here in the Philippines brought along a Nexstar 4i Schmidt-Cassegrain.

More than 400+ people attended the event to get a free view of our Earth's closest neighbor, the Moon. Some of the them were surprised that even a small scope can show them abundant details on the lunar surface which they thought can only be viewed with a very large telescope!  ALPers also explain to the crowd what they were looking at the scope as well as explain the history and significance of the Moon in the evolutionary formation of life.  Another plus factor to the event was a surprised media coverage by QTV5's The Beat which gets to cover how ALPers facilitated the event in a smooth and orderly way,  ALP President James Kevin Ty was also interviewed and he provided details of the event as well as what ALP objectives and missions were. Survivor Philippines participant Jervy Patani Dano was also present with the QTV crew and was also able to observe the Moon through various telescopes.

the original time sked of the event was supposed to end at around 9:00pm  but due to more and more people lining up and requesting for more observing time,  ALP decided to extend another hour to let more people get a chance to view our Earth's closest neighbor, the Moon.  At the end of the event, ALPers posed for the traditional group picture shot to mark the success of the 1st International Observe the Moon Night event at AstroCamp Observatory !!!  We would also take the opportunity to thank Mam Jen Liza of Cutting Edge for their support as well as providing ALPers at the facility free dinner packs.  Thank you!

ALP President James Kevin Ty being interviewed by QTV's The Beat regarding the InOMN as well as ALP as an organization. The coverage and interview will be featured on Sept 20 10:00pm	The public got a free view of the Moon though the member's telescopes.
ALPer Babal Parhizkari brought along his Skywatcher 102 Maksutov Cassegrain on Takahashi Sky Patrol 2 mount.	Survivor Philippines star Ms. Jervy Patani Dano waits while ALPer Mark Ian Singson aim a telescope at the Moon for her to view.
Wow!  The Moon rocks!!!  Its beautiful !!!	ALPers John Ray Cabrera (left) and Andrew Ian Chan (center) posed beside Andrew's Skywatcher 80ED refractor on Vixen GP Mount.
Survivor Philippines star Ms. Jervy Patani Dano gets a great view of the Moon as well as its numerous craters!	More than 400+ people attended and observe the Moon at low, medium and high power views through various telescopes brought along by ALPers.
ALPer Christopher Lee is all smiles as he show the Moon through AstroCamp's 10" dobsonian reflector.	ALP's Astro Kids had a great and wonderful time observing the Moon through various telescopes :)
Cutting Edge through Star Paper Corp, the Philippine's Celestron distributor , brought along their Celestron Nexstar 4i GOTO scope to share the views of the Moon.	ALPer Babak Parhizkari (center left) shows a viewer the Moon in great details through his portable scope.
ALPers Christopher Louie Lu (left) and Mark Ian Singson (right) had a great time showing the public our Earth's closest neighbor, the Moon.	Guest Erika Valdueza had a great time observing the Moon through various telescopes. Nice!
ALPer Crispin Riosa (center) posed with guests beside a Celestron C90 portable Maksutov-Cassegrain telescope.	ALPer Kevin Dagunan (right) use the observatory's main scope, a Celestron C11, shows the Moon and planet Jupiter at high magnification.
Cutting Edge through Star Paper Corp, Celestron's Philippine Distributor, also provided ALPers  delicious dinner packs during the event. Thank you!	ALP's InOMN banners were displayed at the perimeter of the AstroCamp Observatory.
ALP had to extend another hour from its initial 9pm cut off time as more people poured in near the conclusion of the event time sked.	ALP President James Kevin Ty (left) takes a break and got to observe the Moon through a Meade ETX90 AT Maksutov-Cassegrain scope while ALPer John Ray Cabrera waited for his turn also at the scope.
ALPer Christopher Lee (right) shows fellow ALPer Christopher Louie Lu how to use the Celestron Sky Scout to locate objects.	ALPers Christopher Louie Lu (left) and Andrew Ian Chan (center) had a great time viewing Jupiter through the large Celestron C11 Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope. Awesome !!!

ALPers posed for the traditional group shot taken at the conclusion of the 1st International Observe the Moon Night at AstroCamp Observatory at SM Mall of Asia San Miguel by the Bay.

WACKY SHOT !!!

More images of the event can be viewed at ALP's  official Facebook page ..