Celestial Portraits

With the welcoming of the new year of Y2026, do take note of the following celestial events related to eclipses, oppositions, and occultations, that are visible from Singapore:

1) Opposition of Jupiter - 10th January 2026

2) Lunar Eclipse - 3rd March 2026:
- Partiality begins: 1750HRS
- Full eclipse begins: 1904HRS
- Maximum eclipse: 1933HRS
- Full eclipse ends: 2002HRS
- Partiality ends: 2117HRS
- Penumbral eclipse ends: 2223HRS
Note: All times based on Singapore time.

3) Lunar Occultation of Venus (yes! visible from Singapore!) - 14th September 2026
- Venus will be occulted by the Moon at around ~2041HRS (exact times will vary slightly depending on your location in Singapore), when its elevation is about 9.75deg above the western
horizon.

4) Opposition of Saturn - 4th October 2026

5) Lunar Occultation of Jupiter (yes! also visible from Singapore!) - 3rd November 2026
- Jupiter will be occulted by the Moon at around ~0526HRS (exact times will vary slightly depending on your location in Singapore), when its elevation is about 49deg above the eastern horizon.

Further comments:
- For occultation events (3) and (5), an occultation refers to one object is hidden from the observer by another object that passes between them. Specifically, a planet (Venus or Jupiter) will be covered by the Moon. These two occultation events are worth mentioning since the "covering" of planets by the Moon, as seen from Singapore, is relatively rare, as compared to the "covering" of bright stars (by the Moon). Therefore, try to plan and observe / image these events, it will be quite interesting, especially through telesopic instruments.

- For opposition events (1) and (4), when a planet is in opposition, it will appear the brightest, largest, and will be visible for most of the night. This occurs when the planet is on the opposite side of the Earth, from the Sun. It is worth noting this for Jupiter and Saturn. Note there is no opposition of Mars in 2026, and for the gas giants that are farther away, it is not as notable (but feel free to take note of their opposition dates - Uranus (26th November 2026) and Neptune (26th September 2026).

Singapore team hits starry heights with five-medal haul at astronomy Olympiad in Mumbai This marks the Republic's best performance since first participating in the Olympiad in 2007. Read more at straitstimes.com. Read more at straitstimes.com.

[CELESTIAL EVENT] TOTAL LUNAR ECLIPSE visible in Singapore this September 7th crossing to 8th! (All times in LOCAL SG time)

SUMMARIZED INFORMATION:

Definition of celestial event: A total lunar eclipse is when the sun, Earth and moon are aligned in space, with Earth in the middle. Earth’s shadow falls on the moon. Also, lunar eclipses are safe to view with the unaided eye. Binoculars and telescopes enhance the view, but are not required.

Note: This lunar eclipse is visible in Singapore.

Penumbral eclipse begins at 11:28PM (7 Sept, Sunday).
Partial eclipse begins at 00:26AM (8 Sept, Monday).
Totality begins (moon engulfed in Earth’s shadow) begins at 01:30AM (8 Sept, Monday).
Maximum eclipse is at 02:11AM (8 Sept, Monday), located in constellation, Aquarius.
Totality ends at 02:53AM (8 Sept, Monday).
Partial eclipse ends at 03:56AM (8 Sept, Monday).
Penumbral eclipse ends at 04:55AM (8 Sept, Monday).

Duration of totality: ~83 minutes

During maximum eclipse, the moon will be 71 degrees in elevation (almost zenith!!).

GENERAL INFORMATION (MORE DETAILED):

Lunar eclipses have been observed and experienced for a really long time. In fact, as far back as the fifth century BC! Back then, a lunar eclipse could even have the effect of awe and demoralizing armies (check out the 413BC Syracuse battle siege).

Fast forward till the present day, now, as we all know, one of the most remarkable feature of a total lunar eclipse, is the deep reddish colouration observed to run across the eclipsing Moon's face. This is due to the sun's light passing through our Earth's atmosphere that ends up getting refracted and fills in the shadow. Red light that passes through the atmospheric layers go through more easily than any other light component, and hence the light that reaches the eclipsing Moon is mostly red. But every lunar eclipse observed/imaged will be slightly different as the light that passes through is also dependent on a few other factors like aerosols content in the stratosphere, elevation of the moon (at totality), humidity, and current state of pollutants in the air, from where we observe from.

I remember back in the 1990s, when a volcano erupted (Mount Pinatubo), there were huge amounts of SO2 in the upper atmosphere, that caused lunar eclipse occurences to be unusually dark, almost hard to see! And eclipses grew fairly brighter as the years passed (more reddish hues) thereafter. Another notable feature during totality, is the ability to see surrounding star fields as a backdrop against the eclipsed moon. You will be pleased to know, during the upcoming lunar eclipse of 7/8th September (happening in less than a week), the moon will be strategically placed in Aquarius with Saturn and Neptune nearby! Nice capture hint to those planning an interesting, wider FOV composure. The moon at that time will also be about 32.28 arc-minutes in diameter, a little larger than its typical mean of 31 arc-minutes. Do also note that during deep totality, the exposures may typically run up to 20-seconds or longer, so you will need a tracking platform to ensure the moon is tracked properly without trailing.

Note: Full exposure range for experimentation could be from 4 seconds to 1 minute, depending on how bright/dark the emerging eclipse is. Nevertheless, lunar eclipses progresses slowly enough that everyone will have sufficient time to experiment and go well with creative composures and ideas.

Visually, the lunar eclipse is awesome just by viewing with our naked eyes. Imagine the deep red hues progressing to yellow-orange, then whitish (of the moon), and as it rises from the horizon, will be quite a spectacular sight!

How dark or bright the eclipsed Moon will be, is typically measured using the Danjon's way (thanks to French astronomer, Andre Danjon). This is where an accurate set of location coordinates for the Sun, Moon, and Earth, is used, together with assumptions of shadow character, which is further made more challenging due to the fact that the shadow profiles can be soft and fuzzy, which in turn is also affected by atmospheric thickness.

Lunar eclipse times are described based on the Danjon method of calculation (note there are other methods of calculation, such as H-Sinnott, etc). As for how bright/dark the upcoming eclipsed moon could be (at what Danjon scale value it would be), nobody will know at absolute certainty, till the day of witness. For totality that is very dark, it would be at value 0, where the moon is almost invisible, and dark ones would be at 1. Back in 2018, it was around 2 whereby totality was rust-coloured with a dark central shadow, and so on. For those interested to know more, there is yet another scale to measure eclipse brightness - by Harvard astronomer, Fisher, that comprises of a three-point scale that involves not just colour but instead the visibility of surface features inside the umbra!

Do try to also see if the upcoming eclipse will exhibit a wide or narrow range of colours during the totality progression. Sometimes, it can be less colourful (gray with traces of brown, with hints of deep reds, etc), or it could have a good spectrum of colours (with orange to bluish white hues). Now that you are also aware of this, try to refrain from changing the hues in processing software, as you may lose the originality and authenticity of the actual eclipse character!

Now, without further ado, for the details of the upcoming lunar eclipse on 7/8th September (Sunday crossing to Monday, Singapore time):

The moon will rise at 1850HRS locally, at an azimuth direction of 98degrees, referencing from north. However, the commencement of the eclipse starting from penumbral phase entry will only be from 2328HRS and the moon will be more than 65degrees high up in elevation from the east. This will thus be a lunar eclipse where one can witness its progression in its entirety, until 5AM the next morning!

Moon rise time: 1850HRS at 98deg in azimuth (between East and East South-east direction)

Penumbral eclipse begins at 11:28PM (7 Sept, Sunday).
Partial eclipse begins at 00:26AM (8 Sept, Monday).
Totality begins (moon engulfed in Earth’s shadow) begins at 01:30AM (8 Sept, Monday).
Maximum eclipse is at 02:11AM (8 Sept, Monday), located in constellation, Aquarius.
Totality ends at 02:53AM (8 Sept, Monday).
Partial eclipse ends at 03:56AM (8 Sept, Monday).
Penumbral eclipse ends at 04:55AM (8 Sept, Monday).

Duration of totality: ~83 minutes

During maximum eclipse, the moon will be 71 degrees in elevation (almost zenith!!).

Have fun with the eclipse!!

Whenever one gets an optical instrument, there is the anticipated “celebratory” first light experience that would happen. Take this on a larger scale and imagine if one of the world’s most significant instrument, conceptualized back in 1996, with over 1400 engineers working on it, and each night using a 3200-megapixel camera capturing parts of the sky every 40 seconds…. The Vera C. Rubin Observatory (as named after the American astronomer, dedicated to dark matter understanding) finally takes its first look at the sky, from Chile. Very agile and fast slewing, with 8.4-meter mirror that took 7 years to construct (bearing two unique curvature profiles), comes with 3200MP LSST camera, 3.5deg fov!

Could a star-bathing retreat help calm your frazzled mind? From the Yorkshire Moors in England to the South African wilderness, star bathing is emerging as a transformative wellness trend – offering awe, calm and a cosmic reset.

It's finally tomorrow! The Singapore Astronomy Symposium is ON, at the National Gallery Singapore.

Use this in-person opportunity to have enriching networking with like-minded enthusiasts. There will be close to a dozen distinguished speakers and workshop presentations with great background, deep-rooted expertise and decades of related astronomical experiences, delivering keynote talks and workshops of varying topics, coming from not just Singapore but also from our neighbouring countries like Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, etc!

Additionally, there will also be an astrophotography digital gallery hosting amazing imagery works of the universe from world-renown astrophotographers from all over the world! There will also be an interesting solar observing session (called Solar Cycle 25) during noon-time. The event will culminate with the public viewing event in celebration of the Opposition of Jupiter. There will be great views of the Jovian giant (and its moons) through varied astronomical instruments, as well as interaction opportunities with fellow astronomers.

All our speakers and workshop presenters are ready to enlighten everyone! Our like-minded and spirited volunteers are also ready to support and assist! And not forgetting all the wonderful instruments on standby!

If you are not already aware, for more insights on the above event and registration (yes you can still register today!), please visit: https://celestialportraits.com/sas2024/sas2024.html.

See you tomorrow!!! Clear Skies Out!

Do you have an interest in the starry night sky and astronomy? Ever wondered how to enjoy the stars with like-minded enthusiasts here in Singapore? Be a part of this exciting full-day astronomy event held at the National Gallery Singaporeon 7th December (Saturday)!

The Singapore Astronomy Symposium will be a first event of its kind, striving to inform and educate everyone, through astronomy. It will consist of a series of exciting talks and workshops related to various facets of astronomy, from practical astronomy experiences, cosmology and astrophysics, astrophotography, as well as astronomical education and outreach.

Use this in-person opportunity to have enriching networking with like-minded enthusiasts. There will be close to a dozen distinguished speakers and workshop presentations with great background, deep-rooted expertise and decades of related astronomical experiences, delivering keynote talks and workshops of varying topics, coming from not just Singapore but also from our neighbouring countries like Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, etc!

Additionally, there will also be an astrophotography digital gallery hosting amazing imagery works of the universe from world-renown astrophotographers from all over the world! There will also be an interesting solar observing session (called Solar Cycle 25) during noon-time. The event will culminate with the public viewing event in celebration of the Opposition of Jupiter. There will be great views of the Jovian giant (and its moons) through varied astronomical instruments, as well as interaction opportunities with fellow astronomers.

For more information on SAS2024 and event registration, please visit: https://celestialportraits.com/sas2024/sas2024.html

Hurry, we have last remaining places!

It is a fascinating time to be into astronomy, that we would collectively enjoy prevailing sights of celestial phenomena, such as the full moon events, eclipses, meteor showers, planets, and now a really bright comet (that can be seen just about where we are or from anywhere)! With technological progress, it is also easy to capture celestial objects without much engagement effort. However, as we continue to share pictures on the internet, one thing that lacks, is the visceral experience of visual observation in communal gatherings. That as human beings and are fundamentally social creatures, that would enjoy activities together, especially amongst like-minded enthusiasts - that having the opportunity to be together in person, enjoying such celestial phenomena, can be memorable. This is regardless on whether the weather is clear or not, soaking in the communal atmospheric effort in observing together, is what truly matters. Yes, many are drawn to imaging because it allows them to record (in isolation) and then share what they took, and it fits nicely into the prevailing culture of social media and (quick) information sharing, but many would still continue to enjoy looking through eyepieces in real-time and soaking in the sights ... together. The awe and wonder that actually looking through a telescope eyepiece, can be an unforgettable and visceral, albeit profound experience. Having communal star (or comet) parties fulfills a deeper level of awe and wonder in the human experience. (Sharing a past comet party that i helped to organize back in 2015 for Comet Lovejoy, at the East Coast Park. we had an amazing 1000 over people who came, experienced, and enjoyed, together). With all this being said, it is interesting that we do not yet have a communal comet party here in Singapore for the (now) brightest comet of the year, but if you are free, and keen to enjoy possible sights of A3 together, do join a small spirited group of us tomorrow at Tanjong Rhu Lookout Tower (weather permitting, please see the prior post for details)!

Hi Everyone,

For those staying in the east, central, or just looking for a place to see the comet, you can head to Tanjong Rhu Lookout Tower. It is conveniently located at Exit 2 of the new Tanjong Rhu MRT (TE23), if you are using public transport, and if driving, you could park at the huge carpark at Stadium Walk and walk a bit over the bridge to the Lookout Tower. Toilets are nearby (at the MRT) too, and around the Lookout Tower area, there is a clear west view (and if you are adventurous, you could sight the comet from the top of the Tower!), and plenty of space to deploy your astronomical instruments and camera-lens-tripod setups. Do be there by 7:20pm. Weather permitting, I will try to be there from this coming weekend. If you are keen to join me, please reach out! Best of luck to all of us!

Update: Saturday evening (19 Oct) [CONFIRMED ON]

For those who observes / image our Sun: you are glad to know that we are officially in the Solar Maximum, which is the most active part of the prevailing solar cycle of 25.

Background: The solar cycle is the natural cycle of the Sun as it transitions between low and high activity. Roughly every 11 years, at the height of the solar cycle, the Sun’s magnetic poles flip — on Earth, that’d be like the North and South Poles swapping places every decade — and the Sun transitions from sluggish to active and stormy.

During the most active part of the cycle, known as solar maximum (which is a period typically lasting 2-3 years), the Sun can unleash immense explosions of light, energy, and solar radiation — all of which create conditions known as space weather. Space weather can affect satellites and astronauts in space, as well as communications systems — such as radio and GPS — and power grids on Earth. When the Sun is most active, space weather events become more frequent. Solar activity, such as the storm in May 2024, has led to increased aurora visibility and impacts on satellites and infrastructure in recent months.

NASA Scientific Visualization Studio | NASA, NOAA Announce That the Sun Has Reached the Solar Maximum Period In a teleconference with reporters on Tuesday, October 15, 2024, representatives from NASA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agency (NOAA), and the Solar Cycle Prediction Panel announced the Sun has reached its solar maximum period.The solar cycle is the natural cycle of the Sun as it transition...