Apabila awan berarak lesu......

4hb January 2011, laman-laman web astronomi, BBC, AWB, Falak Online, Astronomy forum.net semua telah heboh berkenaan peristiwa gerhana matahari separa yang sepatutnya boleh di saksikan di benua eropah dengan mudah. Malam sebelum gerhana matahari berlaku saya siap sediakan pinhole camera untuk melihat gerhana dengan selamat sungguhpun ramalan cuaca kelihatan tidak menyebelahi saya.

Seperti yang di sangkakan, cuaca pagi 4hb January mendung dan tidak mengizinkan saya untuk mencerap gerhana matahari separa. Saya masih positive dan terus mengakses internet bagi mendapatkan conection kepada balaicerap luar negara. Link live solar eclipse oberserving session saya dapatkan dari laman web Astronomers without Border. Namun usaha saya tidak membuahkan hasil. Balaicerap di Karachi melaporkan cuaca mendung, di sebuah balai cerap di Czech Republic pula mengalami masalah teknikal dengan alatan kamera, turut tersenarai balaicerap dari Israel yang gagal saya akses.

Namun 4hb January tidak saya habiskan dengan duduk terperap di dalam bilik. Saya sambung hari saya dengan hobi saya yang baru (bagi burung dan Itik2 di radnor garden makan). Hobi ini baru saya mulakan dalam hujung bulan Disember lepas. Bila terasa bosan saya kadang-kadang berjalan-jalan di Radnor garden untuk mengambil angin. Tak sangka banyak unggas dan mergastua di Radnor Garden. Taman yang bersebelahan dengan sungai Thames tidaklah menjadi tumpuan ramai seperti taman di central london. Namun ada pengungjung setia melemparkan secebis dua roti buat santapan burung-burung liar.

Kebetulan banyak roti yang tamat tempoh sebelum sempat di makan, lantas saya merajinkan diri untuk bagi makan burung-burung liar. Dari roti itu berakhir di tong sampah, baik berakhir di perut burung. Di atas adalah video yang saya ambil ketika di Radnor Garden. Mulai hari ini, saya akan tulis serba sedikit aktiviti saya bersama burung-burung dan haiwan di Radnor Garden. Akan datang ada baiknya saya bawa binocular saya bersama untuk aktiviti bird watching...Sekian

January 2011: Quadrantids Meteor Shower and Many more

Berikut adalah video dari laman web NASA berkenaan dengan peristiwa astronomi pada bulan January. Antara peristiwa menarik adalah hujan meteor quandrantids yang bakal berlaku pada 3 January-4 January. Hujan meteor kali ini berlaku ketika bulan masih muda, <10%, justeru aktiviti mencerap akan menjadi lebih mudah memandangkan tiada pencemaran cahaya dari bulan. Hujan meteor quandrantids akan berlaku didalam buruj quadrans muralis( north east) pada malam 3 January.  Hujan meteor ini lebih mudah di lihat di benua Eropah.

Mercury, Venus, dan Saturn terbit lebih awal sebelum fajar dan di penghujung bulan January, Saturn akan terbit sebelum tengah malam. Jupiter pula akan terbenam seawal pukul 9.30 malam menjelang penghujung bulan January. Ini bermakna, musim mencerap Jupiter oleh ahli astronomi amateur seperti saya semakin sampai ke penghujung. Selepas ini pasti lebih ramai amateur yang akan berkongsi log cerapan Saturn di forum-forum  astronomi memandangkan Saturn akan terbih seawal sebelum tengah malam.

Astronomy Calendar 2011

Below are the astronomy events for year 2011:

January

January 3, 4 - Quadrantids Meteor Shower. The Quadrantids are an above average shower, with up to 40 meteors per hour at their peak. The shower usually peaks on January 3 & 4, but some meteors can be visible from January 1 - 5. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Look for meteors radiating from the constellation Bootes.

January 4 - New Moon

January 4 - Partial Solar Eclipse. The partial eclipse will be visible in most parts of northern Africa, Europe, and Asia.

January 19 - Full Moon

February

February 3 - New Moon

February 18 - Full Moon

March

March 4 - New Moon

March 19 - Full Moon

March 20 - The Vernal Equinox occurs in the northern hemisphere at 23:31 UT. There will be equal amounts of day and night. This is also the first day of spring.

April

April 3 - New Moon

April 3 - Saturn at Opposition. The ringed planet will be at its closest approach to Earth. This is the best time to view and photograph Saturn and its moons.

April 18 - Full Moon

April 21, 22 - Lyrids Meteor Shower. The Lyrids are an average shower, usually producing about 20 meteors per hour at their peak. These meteors can produce bright dust trails that last for several seconds. The shower usually peaks on April 21 & 22, although some meteors can be visible from April 16 - 25. Look for meteors radiating from the constellation of Lyra after midnight.

May

May 3 - New Moon

May 5, 6 - Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower. The Eta Aquarids are a light shower, usually producing about 10 meteors per hour at their peak. The shower's peak usually occurs on May 5 & 6, however viewing should be good on any morning from May 4 - 7. The radiant point for this shower will be in the constellation Aquarius. Best viewing is usually to the east after midnight.

May 17 - Full Moon

June

June 1 - New Moon

June 1 - Partial Solar Eclipse. The partial eclipse will be visible in most parts eastern Asia, Alaska, northern Canada, and Greenland.

June 15 - Full Moon

June 15 - Total Lunar Eclipse. The eclipse will be visible throughout most of South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia.

June 21 - The Summer Solstice occurs in the northern hemisphere at 17:16 UT. The Sun is at its highest point in the sky and it will be the longest day of the year. This is also the first day of summer.

July

July 1 - New Moon

July 1 - Partial Solar Eclipse. This partial eclipse will only be visible off the coast of Antarctica.

July 15 - Full Moon

July 28, 29 - Southern Delta Aquarids Meteor Shower. The Delta Aquarids can produce about 20 meteors per hour at their peak. The shower usually peaks on July 28 & 29, but some meteors can also be seen from July 18 - August 18. The radiant point for this shower will be in the constellation Aquarius. Best viewing is usually to the east after midnight.

July 30 - New Moon

August

August 12, 13 - Perseids Meteor Shower. The Perseids is one of the best meteor showers to observe, producing up to 60 meteors per hour at their peak. The shower's peak usually occurs on August 13 & 14, but you may be able to see some meteors any time from July 23 - August 22. The radiant point for this shower will be in the constellation Perseus. Look to the northeast after midnight.

August 13 - Full Moon

August 22 - Neptune at Opposition. The blue planet will be at its closest approach to Earth. This is the best time to view Neptune, although it will only appear as a tiny blue dot in all but the most powerful telescopes.

August 29 - New Moon

September

September 12 - Full Moon

September 23 - The Autumnal Equinox occurs in the northern hemisphere at 09:04 UT. There will be equal amounts of day and night. This is also the first day of fall.

September 25 - Uranus at Opposition. The blue-green planet will be at its closest approach to Earth. This is the best time to view Uranus, although it will only appear as a tiny blue-green dot in all but the most powerful telescopes.

September 27 - New Moon

October

October 12 - Full Moon

October 21, 22 - Orionids Meteor Shower. The Orionids is an average shower producing about 20 meteors per hour at their peak. This shower usually peaks on the 21st, but it is highly irregular. A good show could be experienced on any morning from October 20 - 24, and some meteors may be seen any time from October 17 - 25. Best viewing will be to the east after midnight.

October 26 - New Moon

October 29 - Jupiter at Opposition. The giant planet will be at its closest approach to Earth. This is the best time to view and photograph Jupiter and its moons.

November

November 10 - Full Moon

November 17, 18 - Leonids Meteor Shower. The Leonids is one of the better meteor showers to observe, producing an average of 40 meteors per hour at their peak. The shower itself has a cyclic peak year every 33 years where hundreds of meteors can be seen each hour. The last of these occurred in 2001. The shower usually peaks on November 17 & 18, but you may see some meteors from November 13 - 20. Look for the shower radiating from the constellation Leo after midnight.

November 25 - New Moon

November 25 - Partial Solar Eclipse. This partial eclipse will only be visible over Antarctica and parts of South Africa and Tasmania.

December

December 10 - Full Moon

December 10 - Total Lunar Eclipse. The eclipse will be visible throughout most of Europe, eastern Africa, Asia, Australia, the Pacific Ocean, and the North America.

December 13, 14 - Geminids Meteor Shower. Considered by many to be the best meteor shower in the heavens, the Geminids are known for producing up to 60 multicolored meteors per hour at their peak. The peak of the shower usually occurs around December 13 & 14, although some meteors should be visible from December 6 - 19. The radiant point for this shower will be in the constellation Gemini. Best viewing is usually to the east after midnight.

December 21 - The Winter Solstice occurs in the northern hemisphere at 05:30 UT. The Sun is at its lowest point in the sky and it will be the shortest day of the year. This is also the first day of winter.

December 24 - New Moon

Reference:

www.seasky.org

Selamat Tahun Baru: Review aktiviti 2010 serta perancangan 2011

Saya mengucapkan selamat tahun baru kepada rakan2 yang sudi singgah di blog ini. Blog ini pada mulanya saya jadikan sebagai medium untuk saya berkongsi log cerapan serta aktiviti astronomi dan sky event yang berlaku. Pada awalnya saya mahu masukan pendapat saya mengenai isu2 semasa namun kekangngn masa menjadikan saya masih belum pernah menyuarakan sebarang pendapat mengenai isu2 semasa. Namun niat ini masih belum padam, akan saya tulis sekiranya ada topik menarik dan yang paling penting kelapangan. Bagi menutup post tahun 2010, saya tulis serba ringkas perkembangan hobi saya dalam astronomi bermula dari awal 2010 hinggalah Disember. Saya juga akan mengulas sedikit aktiviti yang telah saya rancang untuk tahun 2011.

Review aktiviti astronomy 2010:

awal 2010: tengok wonder of the solar system. Terasa berminat dengan astronomy

May 2010: beli telescope orion xt10 classic dobsonian, menghalakan telescope buat pertama kali ke bulan

Solstice musim panas 2010: Kali pertama menghalakan telescope ke saturn. Tak puas hati xdpat lihat cassini division sebab eyepiece kecil. rasanya waktu soltice musim panas kali pertama halakan telescope ke vega.

Beberapa hari selepas soltice baru perasan bulan2 saturn. selama ni xsedar pun dapat tengok bulan saturn

July 2010: Bulan masih menjadi target kegemaran.. Mula cuba2 buka akaun blog untuk simpan dan share log cerapan.. kali pertama lihat Jupiter dan bulan-bulan nya..

Jupiters Opposition 2010: Yakin telah berjaya melihat Great red Spot. agak kurang jelas. Cuba cari M31 Andromeda tapi gagal. beberapa hari sebelum Opposition observe m45.

September 2010: pindah ke twickenham; teleskop dihantar pulang ke Malaysia. Mula beli binocular untuk aktiviti astronomi. Involve dengan kelab astronomy kat reagent park. Kali pertama lihat andromeda di reagent park dengan teleskop skywatcher skymax.

Video Lunar Eclipse Ketika Solstice musim sejuk yang lepas

December 2010: Terlepas gerhana bulan ketika solstice musim sejuk. Birmingham dan London di litupi awan. M45 dan constellation orion jadi target kegemaran dengan binocular. Sehingga kini masih gagal mengesan M31 dengan sendiri. disebabkan light Poluttion..saya juga melawat royal observatory di greenwich dengan harapan dapat menggunakan teleskop pembias 28''. Namun cuaca buruk mengagalkan niat saya.

Bergambar dihadapan Royal Observatory di Greenwich.

Sehingga kini, saya sering melawat forum2 astronomi termasuk falak online yang di kendalikan oleh rakyat Malaysia. Masih lagi belum mempunyai aksesori yang lengkap untuk aktiviti astronomi. Insya'Allah akan cuba di lengkapkan menjelang keberangkatan pulang ke Malaysia dalam bulan Jun 2011.

Berikut pula adalah perancangan saya untuk aktiviti tahun 2011:

1) 4 Jan: Insya'Allah kalau tidak ada aral saya mahu menyaksikan partial solar eclipse yang dapat dilihat di United Kingdom

2) Menghadiri perjumpaan bulanan The baker street irregular astronomers society di Reagent park london. Perjumpaan yang terdekat adalah pada 5January bersempena dengan program stargazing live(BBC, host Prof Brian Cox, Dara O'Brian)..

3) 4-5 Febuary 2011: Menghadiri European Astrofest 2011 di Kensington Town Hall. Ticket conference telahpun di beli. Saya merancang untuk menambah aksesori teleskop ketika melawat exhibition yang diadakan ketika astrofest ini. Semoga ada deal yang menarik nnt.

Setakat ini tiada perancangan lain lagi. Bulan Jun 2011 saya akan pulang ke Malaysia. Bulan 7-8 pula saya akan di hantar untuk mengajar di mana-mana kolej matrikulasi Malaysia.

Aktiviti selepas pulang ke Malaysia sudah tentu lebih menarik memandangkan saya akan kembali menggunakan teleskop 10'' saya. Semoga teleskop selamat sampai ke Malaysia. Perancangan selepas di tempatkan di Kolej pastinya berorentasikan akitiviti bersama pelajar.

Harapnya di akhir tahun 2011 nnt saya sudah menubuhkan kelab astronomi di kolej tempat saya mengajar, supaya budaya sains angkasa dapat saya pupuk di kalangan pelajar-pelajar saya nnt. Pelaburan dalam membeli peralatan astronomi serta segala macam aksesori ini mudah-mudahan akan membuahkan hasil bila mana minat terdapat bidang astronomi dapat saya pupuk dikalangan pelajar-pelajar di Kolej Matrikulasi. Semoga angan-angan menjadi kenyataan.....................

Semoga tahun 2011 menjadi titik permulaan bagi kita memulakan hari2 yang lebih bermakna dalam perjuangan masing2...

SELAMAT TAHUN BARU

Cosmic Treasures Live observing update

The above event is postponed due to bad weather last Wednesday. The new date and time for this event is as follow:

Date: 9/12/10

Time:22:00 UTC

Link: http://virtualtelescope.bellatrixobservatory.org/webtv.html

Organiser: Astronomers without borders and Virtual Telescope Project

Astrophysicist Dr Masi will give a commentary during the observation session. You can also chat with Dr Masi and other people around the world during this event.

FREE Online Observing Session; Cosmic Treasures by AWB and Virtual Telescope.

Event: Cosmic Treasures

Date: 01/12/10

Time: 22:00 UTC

Venue: http://virtualtelescope.bellatrixobservatory.org/webtv.html

Organiser: Astronomers Without Borders and the Visual Telescope Project.

Below is the advertisement found in AWB Website:

Astronomers Without Borders and the Virtual Telescope Project announce a new online observing event, bringing another unforgettable astronomical experience to participants. Explore the Universe through the Internet, having fun from home while meeting people from around the globe.

The Virtual Telescope uses its advanced technologies and broad international experience to offer a memorable journey across space and time. Galaxies, nebulae and clusters of stars will be some of the many beautiful cosmic jewels you will see in real time, with live commentary by astrophysicist Dr. Gianluca Masi.

Chat with others online during the event, interact with the Dr. Masi in real time, or just watch and listen while exploring the Universe. Experience One People, One Sky as we share the sky together.

Cosmic Treasures is free! All you need is an Internet connection.

Join in on 1 December 2010 beginning at 22:00 Universal Time. Just go to HERE to take part in Cosmic Treasures.

Observing report with 10x50 Celestron Upclose

I have a very little experience with binocular, hence I cant really comment about the quality of the optic of the above binocular brand. However, in this post I will share what I have observed so far since I bought it a month ago.

Target: Moon

Date: 16/10/10

I cant remember the phase of the moon at that time, I believe it was half moon(more or less). I take note some of the craters that I observed through this binocular. Below is the craters that I identified on 16/10/10:

Plato diameter 101 km

exodus diameter 67 km

aristoteles diameter 87 km

copernicus diamter 93km

tycho diameter 85km

I also observed montes apeninus which located on the 'north east' of Copernicus.

Target: Jupiter

Date: no specific date

October/November this year is the best time to observe Jupiter. Jupiter rules the sky every night in this month. It is so obvious even in 'high polluted*' area such as London. Through celestron upclose 10x50, you can see Jupiter's Galilean moon so easily. So far I have observed Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto. I am not able to spot Io, probably because its position that are so close to Jupiter. There are some reviews on astronomy forum claimed that they are able to see Io through 10x50 bino. Probably during my observations, Io is not 'there' ie left/right of Jupiters.I cant observe any details on Jupiter, not even with binocular 20x80 that I tried during the baker street astronomy society public observation earlier this month.

Conclusion:

During public observation in Reagent Park on 8th of November, I got an opportunity to try 'more expensive' binoculars from the other members of the society. I cant tell the different between the quality of the image that I saw through other binoculars and my cheap celestron binocular. Hence, I truly satisfied with Celestron Upclose 10x50. Because its a bit heavy compare to the other 10x50 bino, I plan to buy tripod and tripod adapter so I don't need to hold it during observation.