Database of stargazing sites in Malaysia

[kamayok3]

I forgot actually Fongky and me have started a spreadsheet called " Database of stargazing sites in Malaysia" long time ago in yahoo group.

This excel spreadsheet is use by everybody to fill up the nice observing sites that you've been there before. Hope Shah can do something on it so that everybody can access to the spreadsheet and fill it up. This is also good for future reference. I will email the excel file to shah later.

What is ur opinions about this project?

Regards,
Tommy

[shahgazer]

Tommy,

good idea. I was thinking of doing the same thing some time back... cuma tak de masa nak buat. Ingat nak buat style online form, tapi anyway mungkin kita boleh start from the excel format kot... email me, nanti kita boleh sama-sama evaluate..

-Shah-

 

[kamayok3]

Hi,

Can we put this excel file in the website but without the ability for downloading. It can be only do update and review.

Tommy

[shahgazer]

How do you propose to do? Shall we allow anyone to update themselves? or kena ada moderator? If we want to do it such a way, then I kena do some php programming sikit.. takes a bit of time though... tak boleh ada instance results.. 

Saya rasa dengan adanya database macam ni, boleh dimanfaatkan oleh member & pengunjung Falak-Online , big time!!

Apa pendapat members lain?   

-Shah-

[botok]

Idea yg baik Tommy n Shah. Senang kalau ada listing dan review untuk kita jadikan panduan.

[kamayok3]

Shah dan botok,

You see, if everyone fill up by themself how are we going to see the database updated instantly? Am I right? What we need to do is create a maybe a Php so that this excel file can be updated at the back when someone key in the new location or database into the excel file. Hopefully after a year or two, we can publish and compile this database to a booklet for everybody reference.

What do you all think?

Regards,
Tommy

[shahgazer]

Tommy,

database actually meant to be continuously expandable, so if we were to do a booklet, somehow it doesn't serve the purpose... kan? 

I was also thinking of something like wikipedia concept, where user can add, edit themselves. However problem is, Falak-Online's website is running on mambo. If we can find an extension module for mambo which comply to our "requirement" , then maybe we can add to it?

aikk... speaking lebih-lebih pulak! 

sebagai permulaan, boleh kita listkan requirement yang perlu, konsep, maklumat yang diisi, etc etc. Once kita dah agree, then kita boleh tengok next step?

Saya rasalah, idea ini boleh dijadikan satu projek bersama members Falak-Online! semua yang contribute akan di acknowledge secara adilnya... 

[kamayok3]

ok...I take back what i said just now. 

We will start whatever we think and can do. The instruction and definition are in the excel file first sheet. We can still follow the definition if we agree. Make it simple and understandable.

I do agree about the wikipedia concept. User can add and modify. What about the others? 

This is a great project if everybody can take their part of responsibility to fill it up.

clear skies,

Tommy

[kid]

good idea about the expandable database, saye sokong 

cume kene make sure certain stargazing sites tuh real dan bukan simply main2

[kamayok3]

Hi,

Actually this database is a very simple and understandable.

In the first sheet of the excel file, you can see a definition page. In the definition page, you will find a lot of no. and description. This definition page is subject to change from time to time. For an example:

Definition:                

Longtitude/Latitude: Geographical coordinate of the site. It can                
be extracted from a map or GPS. The value up to the nearest                
minutes should be sufficient. It will be useful for Autostar                
users.               

Lowest visible altitude at different direction: I suggest that                
only obstruction for more than 20 degrees at that particular                
direction is recorded.               

Skyglow: I have some reservation of the field name. I hope                
someone can give some suggestions. Sky Darkness may be more                
appropriate. The scale is from 0 - 9 (I extracted them from backyard-               
astronomer but change the starting scale from 0):               
               
0-There is a total absence of moonlight and artificial lighting                
in the sky with good seeing and transparency               
1-Very slight brightening of the sky, like that caused by                
zodiacal light               
2-Three-day old moon or slight light pollution, but 6th magnitude                
stars are visible overhead               
3-Faintest portions of milky-way barely visible               
4-Overhead appears fairly dark but sky is fairly bright around                
horizon               
5-Only the brightest portions of the milky-way are visible               
6-General illumination of the entire sky, equal to seven-day old                
moon. Faintest stars visible are magnitude 5.5               
7-Sky is bright, similar to three quart moon               
8-Sky is very bright, faintest stars visible are magnitude 4.5               
9-Illumination is equivalent to, or greater than, the full moon               
               
Local light pollution: I think only the directions with light                
pollution are recorded. The scale definition:               
               
0-Indirect light from occasional vehicles passing by at the                
horizon               
1-Light from town at the horizon               
2-Light from city at the horizon               
3-Light from town               
4-Light from city               
5-Light from inside buildings, next to the site               
6-Light from vehicles passing by the road next to the site               
7-Light from building, next to site               
8-Street light next to site               
9-Spotlight next to site               
               
Safety & Security:               
               
0-Protected, private, with access to near by emergency services               
1-Private, with access to near by emergency services (5km-10km)               
2-With access to near by emergency services (5km-10km)               
3-With access to farther emergency services (above 10km)               
4-Emergency services is far away (above 50km) but reliable               
5-With possible but unreliable or medical/security attention               
6-Without possible of immediate evacuation or medical/security                
attention but with access to communication               
7-Without possible of immediate evacuation or medical/security                
attention. No possiblity of communicate to the outside world               
8-No medical/security, evacuation or communcation possible               
9-In the middle of no where, with possible wild animals or                
bandits attack. No medical/security or communcation               
               
Accesibility: The definition here is the accessible to the man &                
equipment. Distance is not in the consideration as it may be nearer                
to one than another. The scale description is just a reflection of                
the difficulty, not the real access method.               
               
0-Accessible by all cars to the doorstep of the site (any equipment)               
1-Accessible by all cars near the site. Require to walk for less than                
100m (any equipment)               
2-Accessible by 4WD only (any equipment)               
3-Accessible by public transport (bus & boat) only (small scope)               
4-Require to track for less than 30 minutes on flat terrain (small                
scope)               
5-Require to track for less than 30 minutes on rough terrain (small                
scope)               
6-Require to track for more than 30 minutes on flat terrain (small                
scope)               
7-Require to track for more than 30 minutes on rough terrain (small                
scope)               
8-Require to less than 30 minutes of hill climbing (mount and camera)               
9-Require to less than 30 minutes of hill climbing (camera)               

Facilities: Highlight the available facilities on the site like                
accomodation, washroom, car park, etc.               

Observer name and email address: This is for contact purpose               

Remark: Anything, personal comment or some secrets like famous food                
near by, etc.               

I hope all of you can read this definition properly before fill up the database.

Besides that, the latitude and longitude of a place actually you can get it from http://www.fallingrain.com/world/MY/ .

What should we do when we are in a nice observing site? As usual, we can observe the surrounding of the site. Look through every direction. Do some notes on what you have see from the site. For an example, light pollution on which direction? Skyglow? Got high mountains? Trees blocking our view? The site is too narrow? Feel not comfortable with it? Got wild animal? etc...etc...etc...

Then after come back from stargazing, list down all the problem and good points into the database.

This is what we should do as a good observer from now on.

Hope everything is clear enough.

Clear skies,

Tommy

[kamayok3]

Actually this is a good exercise to train all the observers to take note of their observing sites. Dont waste a good observing sites.

I believe a lot of people will sokong this project. I love to see that.

Regards,

Tommy

[kamayok3]

Who else will support this project? I vote Shah become the moderator of the project, can ah?

Tommy

[bentze]

This sounds like a good project.
But i have no idea Mambo is, or how to create a database acessible at anytime.
But its a good idea, and a usefull one, too.