Most memorable astronomical experience

[Starguardian]

Dear fellow astronomers,

As you can see, I've just joined this forum barely a week ago. So I think a little intro of myself seems in order here.

For those who went to Batu Layar recently, I am from the odd group of ladies who, somehow tagged along. Truth is, I knew nothing about this forum, nor am I from spcorp. Yet in a strange twist of fate, through a friend's friend's colleague and emails of unknown origins, I hopped on and chanced upon the astro community in Singapore.

I first fell in love with the heavens while on a trek to Berkelah Falls in Pahang way back in my sec sch days. I still remembered we were encamped on a sandy plateau with little surrounding obstructions and a clear view of the sky. There wasn't a single cloud and the moonless night sky was pitch black. So consuming was the darkness I couldn't see my hands in front of me. As the sun retired, millions of celestial jewels glittered in all their brilliance. I saw an unfathomable cloud band across the heavens, yet I knew were not real clouds. I knew right then that I was looking at the milky way, even though I was looking at it for the first time. It was just so aptly named. Streaking in between the stars, were continuous streams of myriad meteors, such that they appeared to be a single moving entity, zipping around the sky.

Thereafter, I joined the astro club in JC, but the Singapore skies were nothing but disappointing. I've been on a few stargazing trips to Malaysia since then, but none of them came close to that fateful night many years ago. I lost touch with the astro community after JC but am glad to be back. Kudos to the Singastro Forums!

So how about starting a thread on how you became hooked on astronomy and what is your first/most memorable astronomy experience?

Peilian

[Tachyon]

My first brush with Astronomy was while I was in Primary School (Pri 4? Pri 5?). It was not dramatic, but while reading the Encyclopedia Britiannica for my school project, I came across an article on Astronomy. When my aunt asked me what I wanted for Christmas that year, I asked for an Astronomy Self-study course from Edmund Scientific. It came in a light-blue folder and modules were sent weekly with answers to test questions from the previous module's.

I could not afford a telescope then (aside for a handheld Tasco 2" sliding scope from another birthday), so I turned my attention to Cosmology and theoretical Astronomy. I continued to indulge on-and-off with astronomy until I started my first job, whereby I abandoned it for a few years before rejoining 2-3 yrs ago.

Cheers!

[ariefm71]

so I turned my attention to Cosmology and theoretical Astronomy

you read these in primary school? :worship:

Anyway, I started this twenty years ago when I joined HAAJ (Indonesia's TASOS) during halley's comet 1986 return.

[Jingguo]

in 1994, when comet Shoemaker Levy 9 hit jupiter. its d most memorable experience coz was squeezing in science center with others to view jupiter on a OHP screen. thought could c d comet hit Juipter. how stupid of me back then. that event pretty much spark my astronomical interest.

[Grievous]

My most memorable experiences happened in different stages of my life.

Little Toddler: Was back in Indonesia, Tanjung Batu. It was just a little peaceful island back then. As i was walking back to my relative's place in the dark streets, my gaze is set upon the thousands of colourful stars and a myraid of colourful band (Toddler's imagination is wild that time.). I asked my mom what is it, she just said.....Just keep on walking, i wanna sleep!

Young kid - A total solar eclipse never fail to set young minds alight. During my primary school days, there was a total solar that suddenly darken the whole school. What happened i asked? My teacher calmly explained to the rowdy bunch of us; It's a solar eclipse, and there are more wonders out there, you know? Like the planets, colourful stars, the flowing Milky Way and the big bad black hole.... WOW.

Adolescence Years - I joined the Ngee Ann Poly Astronomy Club not primary for the stars, i must confess. It's the pretty ladies that everyone of my raging hormones pals said so. I disgress, i must say. Firstly, there are more guys than there are ladies. Secondly, they are more fun-loving than geeky. Lastly, they commit themselves to share the skies with others. That set me off to a hobby that never failed to bring awe. What happened to the ladies then, you may ask? Well...
During one moonless night,
in Ubin nonetheless,
the stars shine bright,
the Leonids are up,
i asked a gal,
whould you be my love?
Yes, she shyly replied.
Four years on,
she's still the star in my life....
Ohhh, i just LURVEEE my FLT!!! HAAHAHAA!!

Charlie
P.S: Of cos im saying of my lady, not the FLT. Tee Hee.

[ariefm71]

Oh yes, I have a rare privileges to experience a total solar eclipse not once, but twice in my life (early and late 80s). Simply the most beautiful thing to see.

[chrisyeo]

I've always been interested in space and science, and I always thought stars beautiful for as long as I can remember, but I would not have been quite as interested in astronomy if for one fateful night three years ago.

I was on a diving trip in P. Tioman with some university friends when suddenly the lights went out. Turned out that a mango tree had fell on a power line and put out the lights for the whole village, maybe even the whole island. Whatever the case, it became so dark I couldn't see my hand. But the sky also became so bright, that I was in awe. As fortune would have it, it was a moonless night, and the clouds I saw were only of stars. I just gazed enthralled for hours. I didn't know at all what I was seeing. I only knew that the universe was drawing me out, into its great expanse.

After that, I became so intrigued I signed up with an intro to astronomy module in the university and borrowed my first telescope (you can see stars in Singapore!) and then found the Singastro yahoogroups. Thanks Singastroians for introducing me to the night sky!

[Airconvent]

I was interested in astronomy when young but after my teens, I lost touch of it. Can't remember why I was suddenly rekindled to the hobby but I checked the phone books and came out with Science Centre and Wee Kiong. It was he who introduced me to Singastro and the rest is history....
thanks wee kiong!
I remember sailing in the South China Seas during my uniformed days and looking at the sky and it was so clear it makes Mersing look like a sunny beach! (at least that how I remembered it). I noted some of the constellations but without anyone to reinforce it, I slowly lost interest again.
Star Guardian, its great that yuo managed to find us because the collective enthusiasts will allow you to be more focused on what interests you...

rich

[Canopus Lim]

I started to be interested in astronomy during my army days.... was in thailand during an army exercise and saw many shooting stars. The most memorable one was seeing a huge fireball. At that time, I did not know it was the Leonids and it was my first time seeing shooting stars... it was only after that Thailand trip that I picked up astronomy through reading of books, buying the necessary equipment and observation. Rather glad that I now know that astronomy in Singapore is active.

[fizzy123]

My interest in astro most prob started when I was 13 when I was flipping through one of those old issues of Science center magazine. A simple cut out and make star wheel caught my attention. Tat change my life forever. Without much help or encouragement, I set out to explore how to use the star wheel. Initially it was tough, but soon I managed to spott a few constellations, the brighter ones. Soon my uncle bought a cheapo tasco 60mm for me as he thought tat was a real scope. Although it was pathetic, I managed to observe the 4 moons of Jupiter! But, my parents were soon to complain tat setting a scope inthe balcony might just get the neighbours calling the cops. Thus I forbidden to do tat. Tat makes me think why YKchia do not get complain from neighbours when they see a tube aiming at their general direction.

After many long yrs,........ after safing enough money, I managed to purchase a 5 inch MAK and it serve me well. I also enjoy those weixing sessions but sadly, he don't usually hold it at the mosque field anymore.