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Dear All,
Please find below an update for the preparation for
the SurtaUtsav in Patna on 20-22 July.
Please do make your bookings and inform us regarding
the number of delegates from your organisation who would be attending.
Remember, this is a one in a lifetime opportunity to watch a solar eclipse
for such a long duration!
Best Wishes,
Amit Sen Gupta
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Update of SuryaUtsav in Patna: 20-22 July,
2009
T.V.Venkateshwaran
AIPSN is proposing to organize a three day
‘Soorya Grahan Utsav’ at Patna between 20 – 22 July 2009. The Utsav is to
commence on 20th around lunch time and will end around 22 July lunch time.
With a view to assess a suitable place for conduct of the utsav as well as
identify a location for viewing of the eclipse a rece was
proposed.
Venue for eclipse watching
On
22nd July around 5:24 am the eclipse will commence. Totality will occur
around 6:24 and the eclipse will end around 7:30 am.
I went along
with Ms Asha and activists of BGVS Bihar to see few potential locations.
Two of the locations were along the banks of Ganga and the third one was
Gandhi Maidan Patna.
The banks of Ganga were indeed ideal- with no
obstruction in the eastern side. The horizon was clearly visible. However
there were two major obstacle that were observed. One – all these banks
were being used by the locals as toilets and hence were dirty. Also, July
would be a rainy month and during rain these locations would become hardly
suitable.
Gandhi Maidan is right at the center of Patna as well as
the proposed place where the participants are going to stay. However the
Maidan is surrounded on all the sides by tall buildings.
In view
of the above an exercise was conducted to see if the sun will be clear of
the skyline at Gandhi Maidan during totality. Totality will occur about
one hour after sun rise and sun would be about 15 degree above the
horizon. Even with high rise buildings, it was found that sun would indeed
be visible during totality. However sun may not be visible during the
first contact that is about 10 mts after sunrise.
Though the first
contact may not be visible, Gandhi maidan is recommended for following
reasons:-
1) Even during rain one would be able to manage in Gandhi
maidan.
2) While Ganga ghat may experience flood & mud during rain,
Gandhi maidan would be manageable.
3) It is just 5 mts from proposed
place of stay.
Venue for conduct of two day Grahan Utsav
programmes (July 20 and 21)
Around the maidan there are at
least three educational institutions- one women’s college, a high school
and Nalanda University campus. BGVS Bihar has been requested to
immediately contact the Education Secretary and fix one of the suitable
eduicational institution for conduct of the grahan utsav.
Place of stay
A huge dharmasala called
‘Dadima’ just few mts from Gandhi Maidan has been identified. There are
four floors each with about 8-9 rooms and a hall. Adequate bathrooms etc
are available. In fact each floor has a kitchen and adequate vessels (like
plates etc) and arrangements for bedding (bed, pillow etc). The dharmasala
can easily accommodate about 600 delegates. The Dharmasla has been booked
and full payment made by BGVS.
Now that each floor has kitchen we
can indeed operate more than one kitchen – say one for south Indian style
and other north Indian style. May be KSSP or any of the southern
organization could take initiative to bring one or two cooks for this
purpose.
Delegate Fees
A preliminary
discussion was held with BGVS Bihar. One hall will be available from 19th
to 23rd. Additional three halls (total 4 halls) will be available for 20
-22 July.
The actual cost for stay, food, and programme, per
delegate, will be about Rs.800.00. This also includes some support for the
material that has been developed and is being sent to all the states.
However we are trying to see if part of the cost can be subsidised, and
hope that the cost per delegate can be brought down to Rs.500 –
600.
Programme for 20 and 21 July 2009.
An
outline is attached. AIPSN will have to deliberate and detail the sessions
(see enclosed note). People from various states have to volunteer to
conduct sessions. Sessions could be on astronomy, evolution/ Darwin,
astrology, scientific temper/ attitude etc. Do it yourself etc should be
given preference. Organisations like IUCCA – Science center may also be
requested to take part (Arvind Gupta?). Amateur astronomers from other
parts could be encouraged to take part.
Scientists from IIA (at
least three to four); Jodo Gyan and Nav Nirmithi team etc should be
mobilized. Our RPs like Paooty, Anshumala, Azad, Satbir etc also should be
mobilized. A list of such potential RPs should be drawn
up.
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Soorya
Grahan Utsav
Total solar eclipse at
Patna
Introduction
This year,
2009, is the 400th anniversary of the Galileo using the telescope and
seeing the mountains on moon, moons of Jupiter and many exiting
astronomical facts. This fete of Galileo revolutionized astronomy as well
as the way we do science. Historians of science mark this as the birth of
modern science. To celebrate this 400th anniversary, UN has declared the
year 2009 as the international year of astronomy.
Fortuitously in
India, this very same year we will witness a total solar eclipse; on July
22, 2009. It will not be just a simple total solar eclipse. We know that
the moon orbits around earth in a elliptical orbit. That means at time it
will be nearer to earth and at times further away. When the moon is nearer
it will be slightly bigger. This year when the eclipse is taking place
moon is at its near point and hence would cover the sun for more than 4
minutes! Usually the totality is only in the order of seconds and at best
one minute.
To add sugar to the sweet, the totality will be
visible in the central part of India. Cities like Indore, Bhopal, Patna,
Varansasi, Siliguri, Dargling, Guwahati are on the path of totality. That
is in these places we would be able to see total solar eclipse, but from
the rest of India only a partial solar eclipse.
Why
Patna?
July is a month of clouds and rains. Weather could
indeed be a spoil sport. However, astronomers are suggesting, based upon
study of past weather records, Patna has the better chance of clear
weather. Therefore Patna and near about area is suggested as the suitable
place of organized eclipse viewing. At Patna the eclipse will begin at
5:29 am. Totality will commence at 6:24 am and end at 6:28 am. Eclipse
will end at 7:29 am. Totality will be little more than 4
minutes.
It is in this context All India Peoples Science Network
and BGVS Bihar is proposing to organize a science festival called ‘Surya
Utsav’ at Patna between July 20 and July 22, 2009.
What is
Surya Grahan Utsav?
From the beginning of the civilization
humans have pondered who are we, where are we from what is this universe
and such profound questions. A natural cosmic event like Total Solar
Eclipse would obviously kindle the curiosity and interest amongst the
masses, especially the children. Surya Grahan Utsav is a platform for
sharing the joy of the rare cosmic event.
About 500/ 1000 people,
children, women, science activists will gather at Patna, by 20th July 2009
morning. After registration and such formalities, the participants from
outside the state and children from Patna and Bihar would take part in
events organized.
What events are
proposed?
Variety of events would be organized to cater
the needs and taste of various age groups. Special programmes will be
there for children, students, women, youth and science activists. There
will be stalls hosting various events and the participants could chose to
take part in any that interest them. Some of the illustrative events
proposed are listed below:-
Shadow play: By constant tracing of the
shadow of a pole one can understand the motion of the sun in the sky. In
this stall experts would guide the children make observation of the
shadows and interpret the results. Such simple activity and hands on based
activities would be organized in number of stalls.
Make your own
solar observatory: Using a ball and a simple mirror one can make a solar
projector. Students would be given the kit and each students would be able
to make one for her/him. The cost will be less than Rs 15/-
What do
you see on the face of the moon: Various cultures have stories about the
dark and light patches seen on the face of the moon. This session would
bring to notice of the children that we see only one face fof the moon-
near side. We cannot see the far side of the moon from anywhere in Earth!
There will be stalls wherein children would be able to express
themselves about eclipse, sun, moon, stars and planets in various forms.
In this creativity stall, painting, drawing, songs, poems, skits, solo
acts and various form of expressions would be encouraged and children
would be able to express themselves.
Performing art stall would be
erected wherein through skits and songs ideas of cosmos and cosmic events
would be communicated.
Videos on cosmos, planets and so on would
be screened in few stalls in various Indian languages including Hindi.
Discussion halls would be earmarked wherein experts would give a
series of lectures on astronomy and cosmology. Experts from Indian
Institute of Astrophysics, Vigyan Prasar and etc., have agreed to take
part. They will give lectures in Hindi and English, thereby permitting
access to wider audience.
There will be a library/ reading room.
Books in various languages would be collected and kept there for people to
sit and read. Cultivation of reading habit is a important factor for
promotion of scientific temper.
Internet video conferencing links
would be established with other countries, and hence people/ children from
India could see and talk and interact with others. Links could be
established to SALT (South African Large Telescope) in Cape town,
scientific institutions in Venezuela, Netherlands etc.
Exhibition/
display from various organizations on scientific themes would be
encouraged. Working models, demonstration models, posters and so on would
be displayed by various units of All India Peoples Science Network.
Sale counter of simple books for children, scientific books,
science kits, hands on activity packages and so on would also be part of
the festival. Organizations like NBT would be contacted for the same.
A food bazzar is also proposed.
During the night, sky
watching sessions would also be arranged. Simulated projection of the sky
would be projected in large screen and viewers would be guided.
*** NOTE: some of the workshop / talks / film shows could be
free of cost. For workshops for preparation of telescopes/ solar projector
etc nominal material cost could be charged to the participants.
On the day of the eclipse
On the day of
eclipse, 22 July 2009, a suitable place, with unhindered eastern view
would be located and identified. Participants and local people could
gather at the identified place and watch the eclipse as it progress.
Arrangements for safe viewing of the eclipse- mylar filter screens would
be erected. Further solar filters would be available for sale at nominal
cost. PA system would be established to guide the viewers from time to
time and also to provide scientific inputs.
In addition through
internet video conferencing, large screen projection of the progress of
eclipse at various other locations/ countries would be arranged. Live feed
from Patna would also be available for large screen projection.
After the end of the eclipse that is around 8 am, a series of
interactive sessions would be arranged. Number of experts would be
available in stalls to interact and clarify the doubts of the participants
and children. The festival will end around the noon of 22 July 2009.
What are required?
A) Suitable place for
the conduct of the Suorya Utsav. Enough open space, at least 15 rooms, one
or two halls, power supply, four or five LCD projectors, broadband
internet services – at least three internet service with computers etc.
Adequate power backup like generators needs to be arranged.
Suitable
location for the Eclipse vieweing. Unhindered eastern view, PA system,
arrangement for water, toilets, food stalls etc. Power supply for
projection, broadband services for live eclipse projection.
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