The Starburst Initiative

Today,  we are currently traveling to Camarines Sur for another Starburst activity. What began as a program for a star party evolved into a nationwide astronomy outreach program. The Rizal Technological University's Department of Earth and Space Sciences is currently engaged in conducting astronomy lectures and stargazing activities in different high-schools and colleges throughout the Philippines. We create linkages with the different schools in order to promote astronomy education and research, as well as  astronomy in general, to the Filipinos. The program also seeks to increase the experiences and technical skills of the BS Astronomy-Technology students involved by allowing them to deliver lectures and share their views of the night sky through RTU's telescopes. This program has allowed us an avenue for communicating astronomy to the public and inspiring others to take an interest for the wonders of the universe.

Astronomy for all :)

Starburst at Camarines Sur

Starburst at RTU, Mandaluyong

Starburst at Laguna

Starburst at Negros Occidental

Reach for the Stars - Astronomy for All

The universe is vast and wide, a thing we all can share

It's yours, it's mine, it's everyone's; we all just have to care

The universe is quite a place for us to all explore

It holds more stars than all the grains within a sandy shore

We scan the skies with telescopes, and also satellites

Learning 'bout the properties of these distant points of light

We turn our eyes to outer space and see the past unfold

And from these clues we might decide just what the future holds

To every child, to every man, look up, spend time to gaze

To the heavens lying up above filled with wonder to amaze

Look up above and share the skies, the universe is for free

And learn the science of the stars through your curiosity

-Reach for the Stars by Norman Marigza

5 June 2013 - Solar Observation

This morning I setup the 8" Sky-Watcher SkyLiner with our intern from the University of Michigan and some BS Astro-Tech students for a solar observing session. Two sunspot groups were very prominent AR 1762 and AR 1764. Other sunspot groups were noticed later through imaging.

From our observations, the computed sunspot number R is 82.83 with 3 sunspot groups in the Northern Hemisphere (a 3rd with no AR designation as of 11 AM), and 3 sunspot groups in the Southern Hemisphere.

30 - 31 May Lunar Observations

I woke up much later than usual on the morning of May 30. The sky was already of a blue hue and hardly any stars were visible. I was only able to squeeze in a few shots before having to prepare for work.

 The sky was clear on the morning of May 31. I had to setup outside since the Moon was low enough for it to be obstructed by the neighboring houses. I was able to capture a several good close ups of the lunar surface.

29 May 2013 Lunar Observation

The sky was partly cloudy this morning so I wasn't able to get close ups of the lunar surface. I only had a few minutes in a cloud gap.

 

28 May 2013 Lunar Observation

The Moon will be rising much later during the waning phases. Some people are not able to observe the waning phases since you either have to stay up late or rise up early. As an observer, I personally have not been able to complete one straight lunar cycle due to this factor and of course, cloudy weather. This were taken during the early morning of May 28. I suddenly had a drive to image the waning phases of this month's perigee Moon for a project.

May 26, 2013 Lunar Observation

Last night's Moon, a day after the full flower Moon. I used eyepiece projection to get a magnified image of the lunar craters. The Moon this month is in its perigee position, making it closer than it is before.