Singapore

For those familiar with both rural and urban sky conditions, you will understand why city astronomers often become nomads of the night in time. We seek out the darkest skies for the brightest stars. Sadly, we can only move around that much in Singapore. Our little islands are not far enough from the main island to escape radial light pollution. This is not to say that we cannot observe in the city: The sun, the moon, the planets, a couple of star clusters, but forget about the faint galaxies with graceful spiral arms, the nebulous tendrils, and the view of the edge of our Milky Way. Urban light situations limit the true majesty of our universe.

Nomads of the Night

As it is, any casual trip out of the country can be a handful to pack for. Wait till you take one that requires you to bring equipment across international borders by land, sea and air. That will redefine anyone's notion of "The Travelling Blues."

These are the travelling astronomers who attempt to carry more than their own weight's worth of equipment from one country to another. Many factors that you have never known before are now going to try and educate you at the most inconvenient moment. And if you are into astrophotography, expect to pack just about double the amount of a regular astronomer.

These are the little things I have learnt as a backpacker, an astronomer and a photographer. As for Calvin & Hobbes, Bill Watterson remains one of my favourite cartoonists of this century. Check the official site for more pictures: http://www.calvinandhobbes.com .

#1. Preparations Before the Trip 

The first golden rule is to make a list of EVERYTHING: clothes, toiletries, etc. Every milligramme you bring is going to matter. You are going to discover storage space that you have never known existed before. You are also going to realise the luxury of normal travelling.

If you have heavy duty equipment, assemble everything at home first so that you will know exactly what you need and don't need. Practice in the dark if you wish, but it never substitutes for field experience where anything usually goes wrong. Disassemble and pack accordingly. Logic dictates that the first things you need (especially in assembly) are obviously the last things you pack at the top of your bags.

Improvise to lessen your baggage, utilize the sleeping bag or clothes to cushion your equipment. Waterproofing of all your stuff recommended. Always assume that what you carry might end up totally drenched by heavy torrential rains.

Remember that manageable weight distribution will keep a lot of curses away. One *huge* bag that you cannot carry is just as bad as too many little bags that you can carry. Remember that you have only that many limbs to work with. Keep at least one dexterous limb free for your passport and to make a grab for the nearest stable object in the event that you should lose your balance carrying everything.

Pack regular stuff that you need at the most convenient and reachable places. This is something only your experience will reveal about what these items are. Last thing you need is to have to unpack your tidy cargo for that *one* pen which slid into the abyss of your bag, and then to discover that you cannot fit them back nicely.

#2. Essentials & Common Sense

Passports which are not expired. Passports which are stamped by international customs. (They do not have a great view of the stars from the jail cell that you will get thrown into for illegal entry.) Singaporean guys, do check your exit permits and inform the necessary authorities.

Money in the currencies that you need. At least two separate storages for money: The few easily accessible bills that you will need for the next 24 hours, and the other amounts for the rest of the trip hidden someplace where thieves probably already about... but at least it will hamper their quick fingers some and make them worry about being caught. 

Credit cards / traveller's cheques with numbers listed in case they are lost or stolen. Hard cash works best considering our intention is to stargaze in the least urbanized areas.

Keep the above on your body AT ALL TIMES. Trust no one with these two items even if the person is certified competent by a higher being. In moments of true emergencies / sudden evacuation, they are all that you will *really* need, aside from a lucid mind, sharp senses and quick reflexes...

...which gives good grounds to AVOID alcohol and drugs. Beware international rings of smugglers who use the unsuspecting tourists' bags to slip their contraband in.

Water & Food. Boiled and double-boiled would be the best option. The last thing you want to be on any journey is sick. Bottled mineral water can be bought from any local store. Any activity will lead to hunger at any time. Some light snacks for the night usually come in handy. A first aid kit with the general prescriptions for fever, vomitting, diarrhea, and colds, is recommended.  Good footwear will prevent a lot of injuries as you bumble about in the dark. Warm clothes will see you through the rest of the night.

#3. New Frontiers

If you are going to a new place for the first time, solo travel and too much equipment are best left mutually exclusive, unless you have the means to zoom everything back at double speed in the opposite direction. Prior research of contactable numbers for tourists in the area recommended, at least the number of the nearest hospital. Roaming mobiles are great but there is a "no network detected" option which usually occurs at the inopportune moment.

If you can, research on the place and customs regulations. Photographic equipment is duty-free internationally. Good if you know a friend who has already explored the place. Better yet, knowing a friend who lives there. The best, knowing a friend who lives there and is also an astronomer.

#4. Meeting the Natives

Keep an even temper and a polite attitude at all times. Never confront / argue / antagonize / tango with the local natives, especially if they wear uniforms. They have the means to throw you in jail, you do not have the means to get out. Showing the uniformed ones your passports is ok... relinquishing them is not. There are the crooked ones who have a thriving trade in "confiscated" passports. Not all are real policemen especially if they still try to corner you after you have declared your status as a tourist. Most of the time though, they are friendly locals who only want to see the rings of Saturn and the moons of Jupiter.

You have your rights as a tourist to act blur and smile too much, but be extremely wary of anyone else who does the same, they are usually up to no good. Even if you do speak their language, stick to English in your communications. Keep your foreign linguistic skills as your trump card so that you will know what is *really* going on. Do not revert to other dialects either, they might be holding trump cards of their own, and are probably well-versed in foreign linguistics too. 

Be on your guard at all times but adopt an open and friendly stance towards all strangers you encounter on your travels: Body language, a twinkle in your eye, an easy smile will work wonders. Look poor... although the equipment is a dead giveaway. Soon, you will master the supreme art of deflection and non-truths. This is otherwise known as psychological defence.

#4. Into the Nights

The unknown in the day, does not go away at night. Now there is a whole new set of rules to play by. Even the locals become more wary. When and where possible, let the ones living nearby know of your presence and intentions. (Weapons are legal issues in other countries. Your telescope will look no less intimidating.) Casually invite them for an observation session, they generally never last beyond midnight, so you can pursue your own agenda after building up local camaraderie. Think long-term investment... and they might know of a better observation spot.

The other creatures you have to battle off had better be non-poisonous and smaller than the biggest rat. Most will stay away from a camp fire, but that option does not belong in astronomy.

A clearing for observation area metres from the nearest clump of plant life would be ideal. The distance from such potential ambush spots is inversely proportional to the likelihood that you will be left with no reaction time. Your tactile senses will be more than heightened ironically. But this decreases in proportion to the increase in the number of people who are observing with you. Safety in numbers always works. Any solo observation far from known civilization is either an act of great faith, courage, stupidity, or all three. If you live through it, it becomes a tale of adventure, and emboldens you to more such acts in the future. 

As humans, our first instincts will be self-preservation; as an astronomer, first instincts often adhere our bodies to our equipment.

The weather around here changes swifter than thoughts. Climate can vary greatly at the equator. By day, it can be sweltering hot, by night, temperatures can drop cold. Be prepared for both. 

Equatorial astronomers have a separate set of weather peeves from polar astronomers. Annoyances that remain constant internationally are biting insects like mosquitoes that increase in proportion to the amount of repellant sprayed.

Instant cover for your equipment will be necessary, your own cover is optional. In the dark of the night, be attentive to the loud whooshing sound that approaches with ardent intensity. A few seconds of hesitation will leave everything soaking wet in minutes flat. Such is the power of the tropical monsoon... and they do not always come with lightning and thunder.

#5. Speed, Light, and the Small Stuff

Speed applies to the quickest assembly and disassembly time, and the split-second in which your mental resources are deployed. Light applies to the amount that you will have in a non-urban area, and the weight that you carry. Small equipment makes for great travel portability; they also come with small parts that drop out and go missing at night.

Generally, animals are not as big a concern as sentient beings. A minimum to zero amount of light allows you to see more and attracts less attention from other humans. When approached by animals, a sudden beam of light should turn most away from you.

When stargazing from a mountain, do first ascertain with the local folk that there are no tigers ruling it. Snakes, wild boars, and centipedes are part of the game.

If necessary, make a lot of stomping noise. Yelling and screaming are last options. When obviously approached by humans, be the first to say hello but never shine a light to their faces. Otherwise, switch off all lights, freeze, and they might just pass you by.

Sound travels further in the silence of the night. A bare whisper will be audible, a whoop of joy will be heard by the entire universe (including those you don't want to heard by.) A little FM radio helps keep sleep at bay too. Do use headphones, please. Noise, like light, is best kept at minimal levels.

#6. Common Courtesy

The regular rule applies: NO LITTERING. Aside from keeping the earth clean, you will not aggravate the locals who can remember who was recently in their area. 

Where there are no toilets available nearby, the bushes are fine substitutes. Just be sure that you are indeed far from prying eyes. Oh, and check with a torchlight beforehand to make sure you are not pissing off any creatures in the bush.

#7. Ingenuity

There is always room for improvisation. :o) And do remember to bring your cameras for terrestrial shots.

#8. Double-checks 

Universal Laws at http://earthstar.htmlplanet.com/farside_laws.htm . These are funny, but they pack a lot of truths too. For Singaporean astronomers travelling to Malaysia, refer to http://earthstar.htmlplanet.com/malaysia.htm for more details.

All said and done, I think I would like to build an observatory. 

Article by Lin. Copyright April 2001 edition. Pictures appear courtesy of http://www.calvinandhobbes.com .

Star Parties - Astronomical Trips for the Masses

These astronomical trips are organized for the public by volunteers. They are an excellent way to begin an excursion into the night. However, the dynamics are very different from a personal observation trip. Here, strangers meet and friends gather.

Tom Clark, editor of Amateur Astronomy Magazine has an article on "Star Party Etiquette - The beginning guide to proper behavior at dark-sky star parties. (Or - How to make sure you will be invited back again)" at http://www.amateurastronomy.com/etiquette.html .

"At any star party you will meet all types of people. Many have been mainly armchair observers who are taking their first trip into dark skies. In order to fit in.... and to keep from seeming to be completely unenlightened to the more experienced astronomers, there are a few simple things that you need to learn. Etiquette is not something that we are born knowing - it is something that has to be learned. Here are a few tips that will help you make many new friends at your next Star Party, and to keep everyone from pointing at you and saying, "My God! Who is that Geek?" " - Tom Clark

A lot of etiquette touches on respect for everyone's equipment. We are dealing with equipment that are very delicate and expensive. The last thing you want to be is responsible for any damage to anyone's astronomical gear.

Do NOT meddle with anyone's equipment without their permission, especially if you do not know them. It is simply impolite and dangerous. Even if you do know the people, common courtesy and respect applies. Even if you are the highest authority on the equipment, you do not own them. Any accidental mishap or equipment failure is a large responsibility to bear.

It is common courtesy to generally ask first if you could take a look through any stranger's scope. Many astronomers are generous enough to share the view from their equipment. Do not touch any optical surfaces.

Be very careful of how you move around equipment. Most equipment will have been painstakingly aligned, any minor jolt to the setup will mean work for the astronomer to get it back into place again. For beginners, approach all equipment with your hands behind your back to prevent any physical temptations of holding onto the scope's eyepiece. This is a sensitive piece of equipment, not a fixture to be grabbed at. 

Food. We get hungry as the night progresses. However, food and drinks have never been friends with any equipment. If you have to eat, do it at a distance from the equipment. Ants and other hungry insects do not mix well with equipment either. Be considerate. Do not litter. 

Smoking. Smoke particles are simply not agreeable with equipment. Not everyone is a smoker too. Respect that and smoke away from equipment and groups of people.

Repellants and coils. Mosquito coils rank next to cigarettes. Check wind direction before spraying insect repellant. Far, far away from equipment would be the hint. The repellant is corrosive to plastics, so imagine what it can do to the expensive optics in telescopes. Try not to spray, instead apply by hand and wash hands immediately after. Battery-operated bug zappers will be a lot more fun.

Check out Bill Arnett's article for more descriptions on star party etiquette: http://www.seds.org/billa/psc/etiquette.html .