Philippines - the sky

[Nigele2]

Off scuba diving in the Philippines early March and have discovered my trusty refractor can fit in with the dive gear.  With darkness falling about 18:30 and us being in some pretty remote places with minimal light polution it seemed like too good an opportunity to miss.

The Philippines are still north of the equator but not by much.  I was wondering if any of our members who live at such latitudes could suggest any particular DSOs I might seek out that I don't get to see here in the UK.  The refractor os 60mm/700mm and I'll take a couple of good EPs.   I'm thinking if we wrap to well and protect it with flippers and other diving bits it should make it.  If it doesn't it was only £40 so I'll just take the hit.

I'm having trouble calculating exactly how much extra sky can be seen from there but believe it is considerable.  Any thoughts on this much appreciated. 

[AstroTux]

I can't really give you an idea of the amount of 'extra' sky you will see ( you could try setting up Stellarium or some other programme for that ), but I do remember that the last time I was there you didn't really need a 'scope. I was staying in Nozgaray, about 40 miles North of Manilla, and the Milky Way was so bright that it kept me awake all night - that and the mossies!!

All in all, a wonderful place to see the skies from as even some of the major towns have very little street lighting.

enjoy.......

Alan

[acey]

First check the moon phase during the time you'll be there, as you'll only have dark time when the moon is below horizon - if the moon will be a problem then restrict yourself to the brightest targets.

Check the latitude of the place you're visiting and do that minus 90: this will give your horizon limit (e.g. Manila is 14.6 degrees north, giving horizon limit -75.4). Go for objects with a declination lower than about -30 (i.e. difficult or impossible from UK) and above your horizon limit - these will be towards your south, so think about finding an observing site where you won't have obstructions (mountains or light pollution) to the south.

Select targets from the Caldwell list (which are ordered by declination, north to south) or the "Jack Bennett catalogue", most or all of which should be within reach of a small refractor at a dark site. Take a small but decent atlas, e.g. S&T Pocket Atlas, and a red headtorch. Have a great trip.

http://www.astrosurf.com/antilhue/Bennett.htm

[Nigele2]

Tx guts useful stuff.

Astro Tux I had thought the skies would be good and we will be 400 miles south of Manila and for some of the time on Leyte at a very remote spot.  

Take a small but decent atlas, e.g. S&T Pocket Atlas, and a red headtorch. Have a great trip.

http://www.astrosurf.com/antilhue/Bennett.htm

Being divers we will have a range of good torches.  If we get full moons it will be restrictive but I want to try (don't know if possible) taking a photo of the moon on a night dive from under the water.

As for the atlas we want to take some books introducing astronomy as our hope is to leave the scope with a family or perhaps even a school.    They've had a tough time where we are going so would be great to help someone.  Perhaps we can get them to post here - that would be fun.

But may be my last trip way south, who knows, so if there are DSOs that are good to see that would be good.  Don't get me wrong wouldn't swap a DSO for a dive with a whale shark but   

[entropia]

Tx guts useful stuff.

Astro Tux I had thought the skies would be good and we will be 400 miles south of Manila and for some of the time on Leyte at a very remote spot.  

Being divers we will have a range of good torches.  If we get full moons it will be restrictive but I want to try (don't know if possible) taking a photo of the moon on a night dive from under the water.

As for the atlas we want to take some books introducing astronomy as our hope is to leave the scope with a family or perhaps even a school.    They've had a tough time where we are going so would be great to help someone.  Perhaps we can get them to post here - that would be fun.

But may be my last trip way south, who knows, so if there are DSOs that are good to see that would be good.  Don't get me wrong wouldn't swap a DSO for a dive with a whale shark but   

That is a great idea. It would be nice to leave the telescope to a school!

[houston]

Brilliant idea nigelle. I guess the locals dont have many chances to look through a scope. What camera do you use whilst diving.

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[Nigele2]

Brilliant idea nigelle. I guess the locals dont have many chances to look through a scope. What camera do you use whilst diving.

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Houston we use a Nikon coolpix and an Olypus 720 so nothing special but we may get access to some really sophisticated stuff while there.   

[houston]

I have similar camera with underwater housing and its amazing some of the images you can take. Or in my case take loads and some may be ok! Watch out for the titan triggerfish.

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[Astro Imp]

As for the atlas we want to take some books introducing astronomy as our hope is to leave the scope with a family or perhaps even a school.    They've had a tough time where we are going so would be great to help someone.  Perhaps we can get them to post here - that would be fun.

What a great and generous idea, just another example of the type of people here on the forum.

Have a great trip and tells us all about it later.

[baggywrinkle]

DSO in Scorpio, Crux (Jewel Box) and possibly the LMC and SMC...Southern Pleiades..

The Milky way is incredible at lower latitudes..

[itmo]

Omega Centauri? 

[Nigele2]

Tx guys all input is building my plan and realising taking the scope is going to be great if it arrives there in one piece.

Looks like there are some really great clusters and galaxies that will be visible with my refractor.  And in March should get our share of clear skies and bright Milky Way that Astro Tux spoke about.

Can't do any imaging but for sure will post a few naked camara photos of the MW.