Sidereal Time: How to measure time by looking at the stars

A. What is Sidereal Time? In his book, Light Cavalry, Fr. Horacio de la Costa, SJ described Manila Observatory’s time-keeping service in the 1930’s–a service which dates even before the year 1900: The government supplies the Observatory with personnel, equipment, and special telegraphic...

Partnerships for Disaster and Climate Resilience: Prepare, Adapt and Transform

The proliferation of public and private sector initiatives and activities – shows that there is increased attention being given to building disaster and climate resilience in the Philippines. The private sector, in particular, has become increasingly involved in initiatives to make businesses more...

Manila Observatory: Frontline View of Climate Change, and the Poverty-Risk Connection

From their vantage point at Manila Observatory, scientists have monitored changes in temperature and rainfall that have altered life in the Philippines. But they also have watched changes due to human actions—land-use, building, and development decisions that have made people more vulnerable to...

Manila Observatory’s Dr. Faye Cruz Wins Best Poster at International Climate Conference in Brussels

Filipino scientist Dr. Faye Cruz of the Regional Climate Systems Research Program of the Manila Observatory won best poster award at the recent International Conference on Regional Climate (CORDEX 2013) held in Brussels, Belgium. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the European...

Communicating Climate Change to Flood-Prone Communities

In August 2012, Metro Manila and its environs experienced the effect of an enhanced Southwest monsoon season (locally  known as habagat) which brought continuous heavy rains over a few days. Many called the disaster a “disaster with no name” as there was no associated tropical cyclone activity that was responsible...

Toolkit for Local Government Units

A  toolkit  for  Local  Government  Units,  “Alternative Pathways  to Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction” was  launched  in 2012. The toolkit consists of a 12-step  process  for  local  governments  to  mainstream climate  change  adaptation  and  disaster  risk  reduction  (CCA-DRR). It includes methods...

Helping Communities Understand Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation

Scientists from the Manila Observatory helped  train local government units and communities in the science and framework  behind  disaster  risk  reduction  and  climate change adaptation (DRR-CCA). The  trainings  took  place  in  Iligan City,   Lanao del Norte and at the Climate Change Academy in...

Metro Manila Air Quality

Air  quality  monitoring  around Metro  Manila  in  (1)  National Printing  Office  along  EDSA,  (2)  Philippine General Hospital along  Taft  Avenue,   and  (3)  Metro  Manila  Development  Authority Tapayan  Pumping  Station  in  Taytay,  Rizal began  in December  2012,   as  part  of   the  1  year monitoring ...

Providing downscaled GCM outputs for four selected rice growing regions

This collaboration between the Manila Observatory and the International Rice Research Institute  (IRRI) is one of the activities  within  the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change  Agriculture and Food  Security (CCAFS) project at IRRI. IRRI pursues a comprehensive research agenda  on climate change...

7-SEAS

The  Seven  SouthEast   Asian  Studies  (7-SEAS)  Palawan  Aerosol  Observation  in  2012 was a  continuation  of  the  first mission  in  2011.     It was  a  one month  field  measurement  campaign  that  included  sites  at  the  shore  of  Balabac  Island  in  Palawan and the Tubbataha Reef...

Metro Weather Automated Weather Stations

Metro  Weather  is  a  public-private  partnership  that  has  established  a network  of  30 automated weather  stations  (AWS)  in Metro Manila. This  network will provide free and  near real-time  weather  data  that  can  be  used  to  prepare for  severe weather conditions  such as tropical...

Manila Observatory on Makati City’s Weather Monitoring Station Project

Makati City and the Manila Observatory take on climate change and disaster risk management together as the city’s weather monitoring station project was formally launched in Barangay San Lorenzo by Makati City Mayor Jejomar Erwin Binay, city officials and barangay kagawads. Manila Observatory’s...

UNEP-ASoG Nueva Ecija climate analysis

In  partnership  with  the  United  Nations  Environment Programme  (UNEP)  and  the  Ateneo  School  of Government,  the  Manila  Observatory  used  station observations  from  the province of  Nueva  Ecija  to  identify local  temperature  and  rainfall  trends  for  the  agriculture  sector.  This study showed that there...

Highlights of 2012

The  year  2012  was  a  year  of  growth  for  the  Manila  Observatory.  We  celebrated  triumphs,  new  collaborations  and  the  strengthening  of  partnerships  in  the pursuit  of  our science agenda. Here are some of the many highlights of our work in 2012. Exhibit by...

2012 MAGDAS/ISWI School on Space Science in Ciloto, Indonesia

Clint Bennett and Dr. Quirino Sugon Jr., faculty members of the Department of Physics of Ateneo de Manila University, attended the 2012 ISWI and MAGDAS School on Space Science in Ciloto, Indonesia last 17-26 September 2012. ISWI stands for the International Space Weather...