TO BE OVER THE MOON

To start the ball rolling, Malaysians have at last come to grasp that the 12th Federal and State Election is now round the corner with the desolution of Parliment today 13 February 2008. The date for nomination and polling would be forthcoming in the next few days. All machineries will be put to test and we will see the war of words along the campaign trail.

Indeed as the title says we are over the moon. Excited, elated. My being so was not because of today's announcement but a once in a blue moon affair that took place in the first week of February 2008. You must have read about 'conjunction' or 'isosceles' happenings much talked by the stargazers and the planetarium people. Sadly none of our local papers carry any mention of this occurance.

For the first five days of February, conjured by the inhibition to see happening in the night sky, I woke up earlier than dawn to gaze at the south-eastern part of the sky, either with the naked eye or a pair of binoculars. At time maybe puzzling some people who saw me starring insanely at the dark sky.

I strained to see Jupiter , Venus and the Moon coming close to one another or as reportedly creating a 'conjunction' or an 'isosceles' figure. Cloudy and overcast skies made viewing the first two days hopeless. The waiting and straining proved a sight for sour eyes and you would literally jump with joy when you observed the bright stars Jupiter and Venus glimmered in the dawn sky on the fourth morning of February attended by the waning crescent moon close by. Jupiter and Venus are supposedly the brightest stars after the sun and the moon. I must be moon struck because I have never awoke at the godly hour just to gaze at the sky. For sure madam was not distraught but fazed by the strange purpose or behavior.

I continued to be glued at the happening and was rewarded on the fifth day when the trio got 'near' to each other to form the 'isosceles' triangle. You could observe this with your naked eye and much better with binoculars or telescopes. Had I not learned to construct the triangle during the geometry lesson before, I would not have known of its qualities. Yes that was the greatest highlight of February. Yes I was over the moon. You can say that. Now the 'constellation' has been added as another source of attraction. No morning crawl however. Stargazing? Not in the city. Try the open sea. That's another story by itself.

Please share with me the sights at least as observed on 4th February 2008.

3 Feb 2008 before dawn. The moon and Jupiter at the bottom left hand corner. Venus is seen just above right of Jupiter.

Dawn is approaching.
The Moon is clearly seen with Jupiter down below on its left.
Venus is not captured on film



















Dawn is here and both Jupiter and Venus made their appearances with
the Moon as if on the same stretch line.
It was the next day before dawn that the trio
stood in an isosceles triangle position the most awaited spectacle.