Observing Sessions

Last February 18, members of the Astronomical League of the Philippines (ALP) hosted a free telescope viewing event at SM Mall of Asia SMBY near Viking area. Members who attended were ALP President James Kevin Ty  and son Kendrick Cole KC Ty; Teddy-Ty Chua and son Robert Chua; Pam Sabado, Sarah Hazel Maranan, Miguel Cano and son Quark Cano. 2 scopes were setup for the event with James’ Borg 76ED refractor mounted on Vixen GPDX mount as well as a SVBONY WIFI SC311 camera mounted on Orion MiniGuide 50 scope and Teddy-Ty’s Celestron Nexstar 127.

They setup at the site at around 4:00pm but the Sun was obstructed by the clouds so no solar observation. But at around 7:00pm, clouds started to disperse a bit for them to view the Waxing Gibbous Moon as well as the gas planet Jupiter. Around 50 people were able to get a chance to view the said objects. The SC311 WIFI camera also allows up to 4 more people to observe and image the Moon through their own cellphone to get a souvenir shot for them to take home easily. The camera also allows up to 5 people to simultaneously view the Moon at the same time!  They ended the event at around 9:00pm. It was a good start as ALP hasn’t been able to do their usual FTV for a while after the Covid epidemic that hit all of us back in 2020.

Hope to see all of you again this coming Saturday, February 24 from 3:30pm to 9:00pm at Central Park near fountain and ferris wheel area.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Astronomical League of the Philippines, in celebration of annual National Astronomy Week 2024 will be providing 2 telescope viewing events on February 18 (Sunday) as well as February 24, 2024 (Saturday) at SM Mall of Asia’s SM By the Bay grounds near the fountain and ferris wheel area from 3:30pm to 9:00pm. Free solar viewing event from 3:30pm to 5:30pm which showcase our Earth’s closest star, the Sun, which can be viewed safely using our telescopes equipped with safe solar filters. Both white light and hydrogen-alpha wavelength can be viewed through our telescopes.

Nighttime viewing of the Moon , planet Jupiter and some bright deep sky objects such as M42 Orion Nebula, M45 Pleiades star cluster, bright star Sirius and many others will be observe (weather permitting of course.)

 

So what are you waiting for? Get a good chance to see them all for free! Invite your friends and family to attend the event! See you all there!

 

 

Astronomical League of the Philippines (ALP) in partnership with Cutting Edge held another free telescope viewing event at the garden roofdeck of Ayala Trinoma in Quezon City last October 28, 2023.

Members who attended were ALP president James Kevin Ty, members Kendrick Cole KC Ty, Mark Ian Singson, Teddy-Ty Chua with son John and, Dennis Marquez .

ALP president James Kevin Ty started the event with a short lecture on What’s Up Tonight followed by Basic Telescope Use.

The sky was clear through out after a heavy downpour in the afternoon. The Full Moon as well as planets Jupiter and Saturn were observed that evening.

More than 450+ people got to observe the 3 objects. The event ended at around 9pm with traditional group photo.

Last October 21, 2023 Astronomical League of the Philippines (ALP) in partnership with Cutting Edge celebrated International Observe the Moon Night 2023 (InOMN) at the 4th floor Garden Roofdeck of Ayala Trinoma . Members who were present are President James Kevin Ty, director Peter Benedict Tubalinal and Dennis Marquez. Cutting Edge provided 3 telescope to host the event using Celestron Powerseeker 114EQ, Astromaster 114EQ and Powerseeker 60AZ.

Event started with Mam Viyow Ignacio of Cutting Edge introducing members of ALP as well as Peter Benedict Tubalinal as this evening lecturer on What’s up in the Sky as well as Basic Telescope Use.

Initially the weather was not looking good as thick clouds covered the entire sky but luckily at around 7pm, the Moon slowly showed itself to the delight of crowd! They also got souvenir images of the Moon taken using the 3 telescopes. Later in the evening, planet Saturn and Jupiter were also visible.

More than 200 people were able to view the Moon as well as planets Saturn and Jupiter. The event ended at 9pm with traditional group shot.

There will be another Free Telescope Viewing event next Saturday October 28 also at Trinoma Garden roofdeck. See you there!

 

 

October 29, 2023 PARTIAL LUNAR ECLIPSE

On the early morning of October 29, 2021, there will be a partial lunar eclipse that will be visible in the Philippines as well as Asia. The Moon will enter the Earth’s light shadow (penumbra) at around 2:02am (PST) when the moon is 54 degrees above the western horizon. Moon then enters into the Earth’s dark shadow (Umbra) at around 03:35am PST with the Moon 33 degrees above western horizon. Maximum eclipse will occur at around 4:14am PST with the Moon 23 degrees above the western horizon, Moon will finally exits the umbral shadow at 4:53am PST with the Moon less than 14 deg above the western horizon. The whole penumbral shadow will not be completely visible as Moonset will end the event locally at 5:53am PST.

Since this eclipse is shallow, the Moon will be bright enough to capture even without a motorized tracking mount. Good luck to all and clear skies! Below is a simulated image of the Moon at maximum eclipse. Image by Eclipse 2.0

 

Astronomcal League of the Philippines (ALP) in partnership with Cutting Edge will be having 2 FTV events this Oct 21 and 28, 2023 at 4th Floor Trinoma Roofdeck Garden from 5pm to 9pm. The Oct 21 event will also coincide with our yearly International Observe the Moon Night (InOMN). 

ALP will also be providing 2 live lectures on the spot on how to use a telescope as well as What’s up in the Sky which we will explain what objects that can be viewed on those dates. Several Celestron telescope models will be on display as well as to be use on the event.

Definitely, the Moon and planet Saturn will be good main targets on those dates. Feel free to being tour friends and relative to view the beauty of the night sky with us! Thanks in advance for the support!

Below are images taken by members of the Astronomical League of the Philippines. Therefore, all images are the property of ALP as well as the imager mentioned. Any intention to use the images should seek permission to the ALP as well as the main author of the image.

Jett Aguilar

Images taken using Canon EOS R8 mirrorless camera with Canon EF1.8X extender on Takahashi TSA102 Refractor. 1/250sec exposure at ISO 100.

 

Peter Benedict Tubalinal

Image taken using Vivo V27e Smartphone afocal on Celestron Nexstar 8i SCT with Celestron ELux 25mm Plossl.

 

 

 

Below are images taken by members of the Astronomical League of the Philippines. Therefore, all images are the property of ALP as well as the imager mentioned. Any intention to use the images should seek permission to the ALP as well as the main author of the image.

James Kevin Ty 

Images taken using Canon EOS M6 mirrorless camera on Borg 76ED Refractor with TV 2.5x Powermate.  Baader 3.8 Solar Filter mounted on Vixen GPDX mount. 1/1000 sec exposure at ISO 200.

 

Jett Aguilar

Images taken using Lunt 100 hydrogen alpha telescope to capture whole disk images of the partially eclipsed sun as well as a Takahashi TSA 102 refractor with a Baader Astrosolar filter (ND5) and a Canon 7D DSLR at prime focus.

 

Kendrick Cole Ty

Partial Solar Eclipse at Maximum taken using Canon EOS 500D DSLR on Cankn EF100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 IS L Lens set at 400mm f/11. 1/750 sec at ISO 100.

 

Raymund Sarmiento

Images taken using a Mobile Phone Huawei Mate20Pro with a Kase Mobile Scope and a DIY 3d Printed Baader Solar Fllter Adapter. Tracked using a Desk Top Polarie Sky Tracker. 

 

Val Thomas Abapo

Image taken from Cebu, Philippines using WO GT71 Refractor with WO 0.8 Reducer  and Celestron Skyris 132c camera.

 

Peter Benedict Tubalinal 

Images taken using Orion ST80 Refractor with 15mm Expanse Eyepiece and Smartphone.

 

Steven Bacalian

Images taken using Canon EOS 60D DSLR with Celestron C90 Maksutov-Cassegrain telescope mounted on Skywatcher Star Adventurer. 

 

Vincent Gella

Partial Solar Eclipse at Maximum taken using Celestron Powerseeker 80MM with Celestron 32mm Plossl with 
Baader Solar Filter 5.0 and Celestron EQ-2 Equatorial mount.

 

Renan Acosta

Images taken using Samsung Fold 4 Smartphone with 30x zoom.

 

Jowen Kibtiani 

Images taken from Polomolok , South Cotabato using Real Me 8 5GB Smartphone with Celestron 20mm Erecting Eyepiece on Celestron Powerseeker 70EQ Refractor on EQ-2 mount.

 

Miguel Cano

Safe projection method used by Miguel Cano using binoculars to show a sharper eclipsed Sun. 

 

Teddy-Ty Chua

Image taken using Samsung S21 ultra.. 70x zoom and Solar Filter.

 

Fung Yu

Image taken using Canon 70D DSLR with Canon EF300mm lens.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Last February 25th, the Astronomical League of the Philippines (ALP) concluded National Astronomy Week 2023 with another Free Telescope Viewing Session at SM by the Bay at SM Mall of Asia , Pasay City.

Members who were present are ALP President James Kevin Ty and son Kendrick Cole KC Ty, Treasurer Andrew Ian Chan, Secretary Justine Co Chan, director Peter Benedict Tubalinal, Joyce Gonsalves, Pam Sabado, and Teddy-Ty Chua.

They initially meetup at Coffee Bean at around 3:30pm to have a short monthly meeting there to discuss logistics as well as install new motor drive on the Joyce’s Celestron Astromaster 114 Newtonian reflector for the free telescope viewing evebr later at 6pm.

James brought along his Borg 76ED Refractor on Vixen GPDX mount, Andrew with his Skywatcher 80ED refractor on Vixen GP mount, Joyce with her Celestron Astromaster 114 Newtonian reflector on CH-2 mount, Teddy-Ty with his Celestron Nexstar SLT127 Maksutov-Cassegrain reflector and Pam’s Svbony SV501P 60mm short tube refractor on sturdy tripod .

They started the event at around 6:00pm by viewing the planet Venus as the sky was also cloudy. They later observe Waxing Crescent Moon also through passing clouds while the people waited patiently as the Moon comes in and out of cloud opening.

More or less around 300 people were able to get a nice view of planet Vebus and the Waxing Crescent Moon. It was also ALP’s 1st free telescope viewing event since the last NAW event in February 2020.

At around 9:15pm, the group had their traditional group picture taken before packing up and went to McDonald’s in Blue Wave to have late dinner before going home.