Moon

Saw this waning gibbous moon two days ago on our way back. It was an opportunity I've been waiting for to test out my 200mm zoom lens. Too bad, this is the best shot I got, but it is more than enough to bring me back to my secondary school days so many, many years ago. Yes, am an old man now.

I don't know how many schools back then have an astronomy club in Kluang, I am grateful till this day that my alma mater did. I remembered we invited the members from the Starhunter Magazine to our school for a night observing session. The event cost a hefty RM3,000, but somehow, we were able to accumulate the sum via peddling fruit juice during Hari Kokurikulum and selling coupons for the event. There were so many uncertainties and hurdles back then and till today I still don't know how we overcame them, but we were very fortunate that the Starhunters arrived in time with their awesome telescopes, it didn't rain that night, the sky was clear and the participants had a great time.

Oya, and we also had an informal session to observe the Leonids and the ring Sun eclipse within a year! Now, where is my photo on the Sun eclipse I risked my eye taking....hmm.

And this reminds me that I am deeply indebted to my dear friend, Ca Non, who supported me relentlessly all along, in each and every event held that year. Those SJM students (1998) will not be able to witness the beauty of planet Jupiter and Saturn without his determination. Thanks Ca Non, you may not see this, but I am truly grateful and glad to be able to work with someone like you. 

Also, the club owns a refracting telescope with a focal length of 400mm which can only be used to observe the moon. I had the priviledge to loan it from the school to observe the moon privately. And no, I didn't use it to peep at my female classmates staying next door (too innocent back then, haha).

I don't know what others felt when they see through the eyepiece of the telescope. For me, I felt an immediate quietness and solitude with the celestial object surrounded by darkness. Then, tranquility sinks in as if I am being sucked out into space. It's like electricity (Okay, I copied this from Billy Elliot, haha). The feeling is similar to swimming with the whale shark when I scuba dive. Unforgetable.