Upcoming Events

UPCOMING EVENTS: AN INTERESTING DISCUSSION ON UFOs ALONGWITH SCREENING OF A DOCUMENTARY ON 25th SEPTEMBER 2011 (SUNDAY) @ 4:00 PM AT THE GUWAHATI PLANETARIUM PREMISES.

Saturday, February 13, 2010

PRAG's 2010 Mars Opposition Programme

Posted By: Dipankar Pathak, Member, PRAG


On 26 January , 2010 dedicated members of PRAG took a wonderful picture of mars using a just a simple 4' refractor and a nikon L19 digicam without any aid of camera adapters, during the close encounter of planet mars when its distance from earth was 0.6644 AU. Enjoy the above picture and give us your thoughts regarding the picture... lots of pictures were also taken in the following days as well as on 30 January, 2010 i.e. on the day of its opposition to earth.

Basic Astronomy Educational Camp

Posted By: Arindam Mani Das, Member, PRAG


(Above & Below) pictures of sun showing sun-spots was taken using just a simple 4' refractor and a nikon L19 digicam!



Today (13/02/2010) we organized an Astronomy Educational Camp at Panbazar Girls' High School, Guwahati. It went pretty well. We also held an sun observation session to show sun-spots to the children. They seemed pretty excited...Take a look at some snaps...

(Above) Our Secretary U.N. Deka in a session...

(Above) Sri Babul Bora, Office-Secretary of PRAG and Curator, Guwahati Planetarium with children during the observation session...

Observing the Sun!

PRAG's 15 January, 2010 ASE Observation Programme

Posted By: U.N. Deka, Secretary, PRAG


(Above) A wonderful picture of the partial phase of 15 January, 2010 solar eclipse taken from Guwahati Planetarium by PRAG Members without any solar filters. Enjoy!

(Above) Sequence of the annular solar eclipse recorded by a PRAG member from Dhanuskodi, Tamil Nadu.

Observers:
Dr. A.K.Goswami, President,
Shri U.N.Deka, Secretary,
Shri S.Sarma, Joint. Secretary,
Shri D.Bora, Student Member,
Dipankar Pathak, Member

The Pragjyotish Amateur Astronomers' Association of Guwahati, Assam made observation in association with Tamilnadu Science Forum, Chennai.


 
Millennium's Longest Duration Annular Solar Eclipse on January 15, 2010
 
The last solar eclipse occurred on 15th January, 2010 and it was of the 'annular' type. An annular solar eclipse occurs when the Moon does not cover the Sun completely and a thin annular ring of light is visible. The ring is known as 'Ring of Fire.' The shadow cast across the earth is known as 'antumbral shadow' for an annular solar eclipse. This eclipse was seen across Africa, the Indian Ocean, India, Sri lanka and South East Asia.



The antumbral lunar shadow commenced its journey from Africa, hovering upon Chad, Central African Republic, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Uganda, Kenya, and Somalia in the African continent. Then the path approached Indian Ocean. The eclipse reached its maximum duration of annularity, which was 11 minutes and 08 seconds over Maldives.
Sri Lanka & India (South India) simultaneously was the first Asian lands that are kissed by the eclipse. Then the central path continued through Bangladesh, Burma, and China giving observers and scientists a life time experience.
However a partial eclipse was also observed within the much broader path of the Moon's penumbral silhouette. The areas included Eastern Europe, most of Africa, Asia, and Indonesia.
The eclipse was millennium's longest duration annular eclipse. We were in Dhanuskodi (Rameswaram) very close to the central line of path of annularity and we got the annularity for 10 minutes 08 seconds over there. It was a lifetime experience.
The moon's shadow travelled more than 20,000 km across the earth, giving the earthlings a fine chance to witness a solar eclipse


Dr.A.K.Goswami, Dipankar Pathak (seen back), Shri Sanjib Sarma (partly seen) & Shri U.N.Deka of PAAA,Guwahati among others are seen in the picture above.

(Above) Eclipse enthusiasts viewing eclipse through telescope installed by us.

(Above) Shri Dipankar Bora, Dr.A.K.Goswami & Shri Sanjib Sarma in serious discussion.

(Above) Perfect annularity.

 (Above) Pinhole effect during annularity photographed at Maldives.

(Above) Nine elderly ladies from Pune came to observe the eclipse and joined us.

The General Secretary of TNSF, giving commentary.

(Above) We had lunch (Pongal) offered by Tamilnadu Science Forum, during the eclipse.

 (Above) Annularity snapped through leaves of coconut tree.

The Times of India in its Chennai edition of following day i.e. on 16th January 2010 on its second page published a report of annular solar eclipse viewing. The news praised The Pragjyotish Amateur Astronomers' Association, Guwahati (Assam) for installing powerful telescopes to enable the public to see the Sun at the glorious moment.

The PAAA arranged two meets- one on 09.01.2010 & other on 23.01.2010 i.e. before & after the eclipse event at ONGC Gallery,Guwahati Planetarium with public & Press. Video recording of the annular eclipse had been done by us using handycam and it was shown on 23.01.2010 with still pictures.
The Pragjyotish Amateur Astronomers' Association, Guwahati is thankful to Guwahati Planetarium and Tamilnadu Science Forum for active support for the success of the trip.