alexdev's blog

(Saturday 26th Sep 2008)
It started as an offsite for getting a relaxing experience but given the clear skies and extremely low light pollution it turned out to be a trip filled with astronomical observations.Our team of engineers at Oracle decided to go to this place called Kunigal about 80kms from Bangalore.There was very minimal light pollution,some humidity and clear skies, the only challenge being the horizon not clearly visible due the trees around(moreover we were on lower ground so our fault).I had carried a 10x50 binocs thinking that it might be handy and it turned out to be the instrument generating amazement and interest for a lot of guys who didnt know what astronomy was.How I wish I had a six inch reflector....

Taare Zameen Par,Yes this is what an outreach event is conducted for .Those enthusiastic young souls looking forward to study the night sky full of passion and ecstacy just waiting for somebody to take the initiative and show them the hidden paradise.

What more can I say ? It just does not get better than this.Yes I am speaking about the observation session at RamanJeri,Tamilnadu.Actually my first trip with BAS for a star party and one of the best.Everything in astronomy you can think about could be seen and studied over there.Telescopes(from 4-12 inches),motorized and non motorized,reflectors and refractors.Just the right sort of an event for a beginner as well as an amateur astronomer to dig his shoes deep into astronomy.From setting up of the telescopes to capturing the celestial beauty through a canon 400D 300mm digital camera with 30 second exposures generated an urging interest to view more and more objects not visible to the naked eye.