January 10, 2010 ALP Monthly Meeting  Report
by James Kevin Ty
 

Last January 10, 2010, members of the Astronomical League of the Philippines (ALP) held their monthly meeting at the Manila Planetarium at 3:00pm.  Members who attended were ALP President James Kevin Ty & son Kendrick Cole (KC) Ty , PRO Dr Armando Lee & wife  Myra Lee & son Jason Lee ; Vincent Lao, Tommy Tan, Ma. Belen Pabunan ; Desiree del Rosario, Christopher Lee , Kevin Dagunan, Crispin Riosa, Michael Cruspero, guests PLM Astro Soc members Kristine Valdez, Monica Morales, Ronnie Castasus, Rosemarie Balatbat, Jennifer Sy, Procula Amarillo and Mark Joven Cortel.  Before the start of the meeting, ALP welcome  Rosemarie Balatbat, Jennifer Sy, Procura Amarillo, Mark Joven Cortel and Myra Aquino Lee as the newest ALPers to join our organization!

The meeting started at around 3:30pm with ALP President James Kevin Ty reporting on the just concluded January 1, 2010 Partial Lunar Eclipse as well as discuss the upcoming January 15, 2010 Partial Solar Eclipse.  The partial solar eclipse will start at around 3:49pm and ends at sunset with still some portion of the Sun still eclipsed by the Moon :(  Nevertheless, the eclipse will be a sight to behold as a sunset eclipse is always dramatic and beautiful to observe!  Members were invited to jobserve the event at fellow ALPer Armand Lee's AstroCamp Observatory in SM MOA San Miguel by the Bay.  James and other imagers will start to setup their equipment at around 2:30pm.

Afterwards, James announced that a 2010 Astro Calendar donated by our ALPha editor Francisco Lao, Jr will be raffled off to lucky members who attended the meeting.  Also raffled off are several limited edition ALP Mugs that were won by ALPers during the 2008 Moon Cake festival that were not claimed and thus forfeited already.

Assisted by new ALPer Mam Procura Amarillo, the 2010 Astro Calendar lucky winner is no other than ALPer Vincent Lao!  It was a nice calendar to own as it shows a monthly star map which glow in the dark as well as a built-in compass :)  Then the drawing of the 5 ALP Mugs were won by ALPers Procura Amarillo, Jennifer Sy, Rosemarie Balatbat, Michael Cruspero and Desiree del Rosario!  What a great way to start the 2010! :)

ALPer Vincent Lao received from ALP President James Kevin Ty the 2010 Astro Calendar donated by ALPha editor Francisco Lao, Jr.	James discuss the partial solar eclipse preparations to be made by ALP at AstroCamp Observatory in SM MOA San Miguel by the Bay.
James show the new members the Philippine Star Map and how to use it.	New ALPer Procura Amarillo receiving her ALP Mug from ALPer Bel Pabunan.
New ALPer Jennifer Sy receiving her ALP Mug from ALP PRO Armand Lee.	New ALPer Rosemarie Balatbat receiving her ALP Mug from ALPer Tommy Tan.
ALPer Michael Cruspero receiving his ALP Mug from ALPer Vincent Lao.	ALPer Desiree del Rosario receiving her ALP Mug from ALP President James Kevin Ty.

The meeting ended at around 5:30pm.