Date: Sept 27 and 28, 2013
Attended: 44 students of Std 4,5 and 6 and number of teachers.
Sept 27 (7:45pm-9:30pm)
- Introduction to Night Sky, Telescopes and Solar Sytem
Successfully Viewed :
Sept 28 (4am-6:30am)
- Crescent Moon at Magnification x50
- Jupiter and 4 moons at Magnification x80
- Orion Nebula at Magnification x80
- Pleaides/Seven Sisters at Magification x7 (using Binocular 7x50)
- Mars and it North Pole Ice Cap thru Canon 550d's live view at scope's focal length of 2000mm and also magnified 10times further thru camera.
This is our second visit to the school. I would like to thank the head master of the school, Mdm. T.Letchmy and the teachers especially Ms. Kesavarthini and Mr. Paul . Thanks for giving us another chance this year.
Myself and Vijay reached school at 7:10pm. And Jiva joined us at 7:30pm. We were surprised with a guest visit from Mr. Somanathan. We indeed happy seeing him joining us for the first time. And it is nice to know our group is extending.
Our initial plan was to start with observation session of Saturn and Venus and then move to theory sessions later. But sky was not really cooperating for the first observation session. It was quiet sad to know that students missed their chances to see Saturn, though the Ring planet was located low at western sky due to its setting time which is 9.22pm on 27th, but we strongly believed that we could show it.
So we started with theory sessions instead at about 7:45pm. The briefing about the evolution of the Astronomy before and after the invention of telescopes really new to the kids and it did impressed them. After a short break we moved to the second part of the theory session on Solar System. I shared some interesting facts like our Moon is always showing us at Earth of its one side or we call the term as near side. Our Moon keeps rotating but at the same time only showing one face to us. It never shows its other side or far side to us. I was demonstrating that to the kids. Also demostrated on what makes we can't see the planets, especially 5 naked eye planets, all the time throughout the year.
Prior ending the theory session, I was requesting some of the students to come forward and share their thoughts about our program. They truely welcomed it. And one of the kid was telling that he really gifted to have such program conducted at their school and thanked us for that. It was impressive statement.
At 9:30pm, we had to give a way to other activity which arranged by school teachers. Seeing the sky was covered by clouds, we then decided to continue the observation the next early morning at 4am.
Impressive !!! Yes, it was impressive sky at 4am. We showed all that we wanted to show at that time. Personally I liked to see the crescent Moon at magnication x80. Lovely side ! Seeing Jupiter with its 4 moons (Io, Europa, Ganymede, Callisto) after such a long time, was a very nice feeling. Orion Nebula at that same magnification was stunning too. At last Mars with live view of the camera was not really sharp image as it was quiet low at Eastern sky which makes the view obscured by strong atmosphere turbulances which in usual case weakining as the target object reaches the Zenith. But Students could able to see the North Pole's Ice Cap. Nice sight !!!
with thanks
Veerayen
Some of event shots:
 |
Setting up the Scope (8" Newtonian Reflector) Students : We Like Astronomy !!! |
 |
Theory Session Part 2 - Solar System  Teachers and Students are waiting while Vijay (in Orange) coordinating .  
When is my turn to see Jupiter ???
Group Picture
|
