April 15, 2012 ALP Global Astronomy Saturn Watch Stargazing Report
by Christopher Louie Lu
Images by James Kevin Ty, Gary Andreassen and Christopher Louie Lu

SATURN NEVER LOOKED SO GOOD! Fielding their telescopes to give the public free views of the Ringed Planet, the Astronomical League of the Philippines with special participation by the Manila Museum Planetarium celebrated Global Astronomy Month's SATURN WATCH at Astrocamp Observatory Services, SM Mall of Asia By the Bay, Pasay City last April 15. Members who attended are ALP President James Kevin Ty with wife Chat and son Kendrick Cole KC Ty, ALP PRO Dr. Armando Lee with wife Mia, ALP Secretary Christopher Louie Lu with wife Karren and daughter Frances, Gary Andreassen with wife Irma, son Steinar and their family, Sheldon Espartero, Mike Enage and Mark Ian Singson. Representatives of the Manila Museum Planetarium, Curator Bel Pabunan and Liza Quitlong were also on hand to assist in the event. Besides the Celestron C11 inside the Astrocamp dome, members also brought various telescopes to the event. Christopher Lu has his Celestron Powerseeker 80EQ, Gary & Steinar with their Celestron C6N reflector on a Orion SVD EQ-5 mount and Mike Enage with his Sky Watcher 114 Newtonian reflector on a tripod mount. 

ALP members assembled at Astrocamp grounds at around 7:00 pm and began assembling their various telescopes. After calibration of their scopes free public viewing officially began at around 8pm. Since Saturn is in opposition with the Sun the ringed planet is really a sight to behold. Various "oohhs" and "aahhs" was heard throughout the night as people from different walks of life see Saturn for the first time.

Long  queue awaited their turn at ALPer Gary's scope.	ALPer Maike Enage also had his hand full showing Saturn with his scope.
ALPer Christopher Louie Lu explains to the guests on what they are seeing through his telescope.	More than 350 people were able to observe Saturn through various scopes from 8:00-10:00pm.
The Andreassen Dynamic Duo strike a pose with National Museum Planetarium curator Bel Pabunan.	Newest ALPer Steinar Andreassen helps his dad in showing Saturn to the public!

After catering to some 350 people along the baywalk, Saturn Watch officially closed at 10pm after which ALP members pause to take their official group picture.

Group Shot

Wacky Shot !!!