GAIA joins Manila Street Astronomers

The members of the guild were at Blue Bay Walk last Saturday (28 Nov 2015) to assist and facilitate the free telescope viewing of the Manila Street Astronomers.

The Manila Street Astronomers is a non-profit outreach astronomy group composed of volunteers from the local astronomical community. As such, the guild has committed to take part and assist the MSA in anyway possible. This endeavor allows the members of the guild to reinforce the outreach and observation side as well as serve as training ground for developing public speaking skills by engaging participants in the free telescope viewing.

Image credits:
Gary Andreassen and Chris Barja
Manila Street Astronomers

Astronomical Optics Part 1

This is the first part in a series of astronomical optics lessons to address the lack of fundamental optics concepts introduced locally. Astronomy as a science is dependent on light, so be it in theory or application a significant understanding of optics must be available to an astronomer's knowledge base.

For the first discussion in the series, geometrical optics was introduced. Ray tracing and computations were made beginning from the use of the lens equation

1/f = 1/p + 1/q

up to the computations for combined lenses in an astronomical refractor. Aberrations and light scattering concepts were also discussed.

Stargate: Debunking a Mars Hoax

Stargate Episode 1: Debunking a Mars Hoax
The never ending Mars hoax has resurfaced again with the recent posts on social media of Mars appearing as big as the Moon on August 27. This podcast will try to explain just what does it take to have the red planet appear as big as the Moon.

Asteroid Day

The Guild joins the observance of Asteroid Day (30 June 2015), a global awareness movement to learn about asteroids.