looks like stupid KL sky not always stupid lah. But tonite cannot join you, need to do some shopping chores. Hopefully tomorrow can. Our sun always very exciting to see.

Yesterday morning was quite nice for Moon watchers.
Tried some shooting with my Cassie....

A Blue Moon! My Cassie got it wrong on auto exposure.....

Handheld up to a telescope... This is why i didn't want a DSLR!

No, it wasn't quite the Full moon You can see the Terminator at the bottom edge...

I took this pic by just handholding the Casio over a telescope's eyepiece. This simple technique unfortunately doesn't work well with a DSLR.

I'm still using the telescope's primary lens to magnify. The eyepiece must match the lens on my Casio so that i can achieve proper focus without vignetting. So far, i've found that the Casio is quite versatile and works well on a large variety of eyepieces. But you will need a fairly steady hand though.
It is interesting that the more expensive and higher spec digicams struggle with this method.

Looks like you're going to have a very merry Xmas! Looking forward to your astropics........

That's a date!
Unfortunately i have to take a raincheck for now, work is piled up until CNY.
Can we reschedule it for one of the Astronomical events early next year?

27 Jan 2006 Saturn at Opposition - Do not miss!
14 March 2006 - Penumbral Lunar Eclipse - Do not miss!
29 March 2006 - Total Solar Eclipse - Fly to Libya! Cannot see in Malaysia
4 May 2006 - Jupiter at Opposition - Do not miss!

This post has been edited by March05: Dec 22 2005, 12:38 PM

you not the only one who can google, u know.
i found this info here lah
Astronomical Calender 2006

When any of the outer planets are at opposite side of Earth from the Sun, they will then be closest to us, good time to view & take photos! You will be very busy with your new telescope early next year bro.
Good timing to buy....

wah you understand what i was trying to say? even i confused myself when i read my own sentence....

u are a genius!

Anyway, Merry Christmas, everybody!

Did u get anything?
Unfortunately, i think no occultation of Spica by the Moon for us to see in Malaysia - wrong time, wrong place......
Only close encounter before and after the event.

pssst, tomorrow evening got Ebony Moon! miss this, next chance: 2008

Finally! Great sequence, worth the wait!

Well, i tried to show the stars on my christmas tree but no one interested.

I'm trying to catch Venus before it switches into the Morning Star phase, but i think too difficult now. It's a very, very thin crescent now, and getting near the Sun (angularly speaking, of course).

Don't forget the Saturn opposition is coming up in 2 week's time!

Put your desktop pc on a trolley and push out to the garden lah.......

If you are using LCD Monitor, should be light enough, i think.

Wah, longtime no posting here.

Break the silence now.

Moon buddy-buddy with Jupiter at 7.05 am this morning.........


Don't forget Saturn will be quite photogenic this weekend! shake the dust off your telescopes lah.

Hip hip hooray!
Now at last we have someone here with the real goodies.........until now we pura pura saja.

I hope you didn't short circuit your keyboard.......
Mr.LKM, are you ready for Saturn? 2 days to go!

Saturn certainly didn't dissapoint this time! The sky was a bit hazy, and clouds kept drifting across Saturn, but I'm not complaining. The skies have been terrible the past few nights!
I had a jolly good time just after midnight watching this magnificent planet through an old telescope and as usual, tried some hand held shots with my Casio.
Here's the result:-


Not too successful at high magnifications; had problems holding the camera steady with all the mosquitoes buzzing around, and also getting sleepy.....but the best I could get was this:


These pics don't do justice to the real seeing. I really suggest those of you who have never seen Saturn before, try to find a friend with a telescope and see it for yourself this weekend. The bands on Saturn, the magnificent ring and the orbiting moons will make this a sight an unforgetable one for CNY!