Know Your Stars by Chandrashekar

Yesterday evening Chandrashekar, Gen. Secretary, ABAA, conducted the Know Your Stars program to students and general public. Chandrashekar introduced the constellations that were visible in the evening sky and also constellations that were visible in the morning sky in this time of the year. This was done inside the sky theater of JNP. After the introduction, the gathering had the opportunity of seeing the planet Jupiter and our Moon through the telescopes that were setup outside. Members of ABAA were there to help them identify the moons of Jupiter, people saw Callisto, Europa and IO on the eastern side and Ganymede on the western side Jupiter. People also enjoyed the bands on Jupiter. After seeing Jupiter's moons, people were thrilled and memorized watching our Moon through the telescope. They enjoyed the landscape of Moon filled with craters and “seas”. Members of ABAA also gave details on telescopes, how they are made and also cleared many doubts on various astronomical topics. It was a good interactive session.

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Moon by Prakash Subbanna

Here is a photo sent to us by Prakash Subbanna, Vice President of ABAA. This Moon photo was taken on 27/11/2009 at 21:30:59 IST using Canon 50D.

Lens: 400mm
Aperture: f/6.3
Shutter: 1/200
ISO: 200

Some of the prominent features are easily seen...

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Outreach at Wipro

ABAA conducted Outreach program at Wipro campus in Amphitheater yesterday evening, Thursday 25/11/2009 evening. The program started with Jayanth, President, ABAA, giving a introduction about ABAA to a gathering of 150 wipro astronomy enthusiasts. Jayanth spoke about the formation of ABAA, making of PSN telescope and he also spoke about the Telescope making workshop, outreach programs conducted by ABAA.




Prakash Subbanna, Vice President, tossed some interesting questions at the gathering, many gave correct answers, this made the gathering more curious about Astronomy. Prakash spoke about ABAA activities like observations, telescope making, lectures. This gave the audience who were present there a source where they can pursue their interest. Later Prakash introduced ABAA members present there to the audience.




Following this Nagraj gave an very good illustrative talk about Solar system. With well organized slides, the talk started with the comparison of mass and size of different planets. Nagraj moved on to individual planets, briefly explaining about the planet's surface, atmosphere and also some interesting facts about planets that kept audience spell bound.






By the time Nagraj finished the talk, telescopes were ready, two telescopes, one aimed at Moon and the other aimed at Jupiter. People enjoyed the view of Moon and Jupiter through the telescopes. Clouds played a little spoil sport, Moon and Jupiter used get covered very often, but hats off to Wipro people as they waited patiently for clouds to clear.








As the people continued to view through the telescopes, there was a lively discussion going on, topics ranging from planets, telescopes, astrophotography,comets, galaxies and cosmology. Gathering had lots of questions which were answered by ABAA members.

On a whole the Outreach program was a success. Thanks to Kavitha for co ordinating the event and all the members who volunteered for the event and made the event a success.

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ABAA Outreach program

ABAA has conducted lots of Outreach programs this year in an effort to create awareness about Astronomy among students and public. Here are very few photos of the outreach programs that were conducted from past few months. To name a few schools, colleges and institution where the programs were conducted
KMA Outreach - Ananda Dhama, Sangama, Kanakpura
Pooran Pragna School, Sadashiva nagar, Bangalore
Bhoomi Public school Bangalore
Vivekananda School, Sahakara nagara, Bangalore
Tumkur Science Center
Bangalore International school
PES college, Madya

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Know Your Stars by ABAA

For more then a decade Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium, Bangalore and ABAA has been collaborating in popularizing Astronomy. One such effort by Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium is monthly Know Your Stars program, held on first Sunday of every month. Dr. Shylaja introduces the night sky to the public in the sky theater and after the talk ABAA members show the gathering the planets and Moon through the telescopes. This being IYA, Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium offered an opportunity for ABAA in which members of ABAA were allowed to conduct the sky show inside the sky theater. This program is conducted every 4th Sunday of the month. ABAA's Gen. Secretary Mr Chandrashekar G has been conducting the Know Your Stars program successfully.

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Galilean Nights

ABAA conducted Galilean Nights from 22 to 24 October 2009. The event was organized in 4 different places, 2 in Bangalore and 2 in Tumkur. In Bangalore, the event was held at Jagadish science center, Jayanagar Nation college and other at Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium, Bangalore. In Tumkur, the event was held at 2 different schools and the response was really good. People of all ages and background came and observed Jupiter and Moon. The even was very successful, as ABAA was able to show the planets and Moon to hundreds of people, for most of them it was a first time experience.

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Science In Action -- Astronomy

ABAA participated in Science In Action – Astronomy exhibition which was connected by Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium, Bangalore between Friday, 28th Aug to 30th Aug. ABAA had put up different types of telescopes to help students and public get good understanding of telescopes. ABAA had put up 3D posters of different Astronomical objects, students and public enjoyed the posters and helped ABAA members to explain the concepts.

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TOTAL SOLAR ECLIPSE

A team of ABAA members went to GAYA to observe, experience and Photograph the Total solar eclipse that took place on 22nd July 2009.

Team consisted of:
Jayanth
Prakash Subbanna
Prakash R S
Mani
Madhava
Nagraj
Naveen
Arun
Viral
Vishwanath

The clouds played a spoil sport as it did in most parts of the country, but it did clear before the totality. For most of the members it was a first time experience of a totality and they were thrilled. But due to light haze and patches of clouds member could not capture the true grandeur of totality.

Our Vice President Mr Prakash Subbanna took photograph with good results considering the sky conditions on that day.

Jayant, President of ABAA, video graphed the event and for the first time, All India Radio, Bangalore, broad casted live commentary of the Eclipse. The commentary was given in kannada by Mr T. S. Madhava, Jayanth and Prakash also gave details of the event on the radio. The was heard by general public throughout Karnataka and was well appreciated.

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TELESCOPE MAKING WORKSHOP

ABAA is known for telescope making and over two decades ABAA has conducted Telescope making workshop for students and general public. The Telescope making workshop has been attend by schools and colleges not only from Karnataka but all over the Country. The year ABAA conducted weekend Telescope Making workshop in Bangalore at JNP from August 1st to 13th September. Participants built 6 inch reflecting telescopes, starting from rough grinding, polishing the mirror and assembling the telescope. The workshop started with Mr Chandrashekar introducing participants to the basics in optics, telescopes and mounts. The workshop went on smoothly and all the telescopes were finished in time with good results. This time in the workshop Dobsonian mounts were used.

There telescopes were handed over to the participants on 13th of September in a small function presided by Prof. Shukre, Director of JNP.

The Workshop is conducted under the supervision of Jayanth, President, ABAA. and Mani.

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