महाराष्ट्र खगोल संमेलनाचा अविस्मरणीय अनुभव!

✪ सेंटर फॉर सिटिझन सायन्सेस (CCS), विज्ञान भारती आणि राष्ट्रीय रेडिओ खगोल भौतिकी केंद्र (NCRA) द्वारे आयोजन
✪ तीन दिवसीय संमेलनामध्ये आंतरराष्ट्रीय वैज्ञानिकांची व्याख्याने, सखोल चर्चा आणि संवाद
✪ जुन्या व नवीन पिढीतील खगोलप्रेमींचं एकत्रीकरण- Passing of baton
✪ आयोजक, संबंधित संस्था, व्हॉलंटीअर्सद्वारे उत्तम नियोजन आणि चोख व्यवस्था
✪ आजच्या खगोल विज्ञानात काय सुरू आहे ह्यांचे अपडेटस आणि मूलभूत संकल्पनांची उजळणी
✪ भारतातल्या संस्था व वैज्ञानिक किती मोठं योगदान देत आहेत ह्यावर प्रकाश
✪ अजस्त्र जायंट मीटर वेव्ह रेडिओ टेलिस्कोप (GMRT) ला भेट!
✪ GMRT येथील व्याख्याने, चर्चा सत्र आणि आकाश दर्शन
✪ वेगळे "बायनरी स्टार्स" नव्हे हे तर "स्टार" क्लस्टर!
✪ रात्री १ पर्यंत खगोलप्रेमींचा निरीक्षणाचा उत्साह
✪ बिबट्याचा माग चुकवून धुमकेतूचा यशस्वी माग!

सर्वांना नमस्कार. नुकतंच २६ जानेवारी ते २८ जानेवारी (२९ च्या पहाटेपर्यंत!) असं तीन दिवसीय खगोल संमेलन CCS व इतर संस्थांनी आयोजित केलं होतं. ह्या संमेलनामध्ये भाग घेण्याचा अनुभव फार सुंदर होता. तीन दिवस ह्या संमेलनामध्ये भाग घेतल्यानंतर अजूनही ह्या संमेलनाचा हँग ओव्हर जात नाहीय. ह्या संमेलनामधील आनंद आपल्यासोबत शेअर करण्यासाठी हा छोटा लेख लिहीत आहे. संमेलनाचा हा वृत्तांत नाही म्हणता येणार, पण संमेलनावर प्रतिक्रिया आणि त्यातल्या आठवणी शब्दबद्ध करण्याचा प्रयत्न असू शकेल.

अगदी थोडक्यात सांगायचं तर ह्या संमेलनामध्ये आजच्या खगोल- विज्ञानात काय सुरू आहे, आज कोणत्या प्रकारचे महाप्रकल्प येत आहेत, सुरू आहेत, कोणतं संशोधन सुरू आहे ह्याची माहिती मिळाली. त्याबरोबर खगोलशास्त्र व आकाश दर्शन संदर्भातील सर्व मूलभूत संकल्पनांची उजळणी झाली. त्यासोबत जुन्या व नवीन पिढीतील अनेक खगोलप्रेमींना भेटता आलं. त्यांच्याबरोबर "विज्ञान स्वयंसेवकांच्या" उत्साही चमूलाही भेटता आलं! एका अर्थाने हे अगदी passing of baton सारखं वाटलं. लहानपणी दूरदर्शनवर एक व्हिडिओ दाखवायचे- त्यातला कपिल देवसुद्धा मशाल घेऊन पळताना दिसायचा. त्यात सगळे जण एकमेकांना मशाल देत जातात (त्या व्हिडिओच्या शेवटी एका लहान मुलीचा गोंडस चेहराही असायचा). हे खगोल संमेलन म्हणजे अगदी तशी मशाल पुढे देण्याची प्रक्रिया वाटली!

Thrilling experience of spotting comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF)!

✪Thrilling experience of spotting it through my telescope

✪ Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) is visible through binoculars
✪ Need dark skies and precise sky- location of the comet
✪ Its position changes rapidly
✪ Will be brightest around 1st  February

Hello all. Some of you may be knowing that one comet- C/2022 E3 (ZTF) is visible these days. It is not bright enough to be seen only through eyes as of 24th January. But it is visible through binoculars or a small telescope. What you need is a location with dark sky. That means a place at least 20 kms away from any city lights. You also need a detailed sky mapping app like Sky safari along with proper sky orientation and knowledge of major constellations. But just these would not be sufficient. You would also need some practice of watching sky objects, particularly dim objects.

Cycling in 4 states on single gear cycle 6: Kolhar- Vijaypura- Sindgi (101 kms)

✪ Starting ride in the background of “Kausalya Supraja Rama!...”
✪ Ride through hilly region with wind mills
✪ Crossing historic Vijaypura
✪ Aerobic ride (only nose breathing)
✪ Mental aspects of cycling
✪ Language barrier? Yes and no.
✪ Kalyana Karnataka region
✪ Completed 438 kms in 5 days

Morning of 28th September, fifth day of the expedition. Yesterday I had good rest in Kolhar and so feeling much fresh. What a wonderful morning it is- soothing and clear weather. As I woke up and got ready to depart, there is  that famous prayer- Kausalya Supraja Rama! Early morning prayers in South India are spectacular. I can still listen that Bhajanas in Tharangamwadi in January 2005 (during Tsunami relief work). This Kausalya Supraja prayer set the tone for the day! Just wonderful to listen it here in this village. Incidentally, my ring tone is also instrumental of this same prayer.

Today I will ride around 100 kms and cross Vijaypura. As discussed with people here, chose the highway over the short cut road. As it is 5th day, riding is so smooth and easy now. Only to save little energy, today I am riding with only nose breathing- it is called aerobic activity. It slightly reduces speed, I will ride slightly less than 20 km per hour. But it increases comfort level and also saves energy. I had not actually practiced this method in cycling, but I regularly do some such kind of running. It also keeps heart rate low. So here we go. Left at around 6.30 in the morning. As I am riding eastwards and slightly northwards, there is proper sunlight by 6.30. I had a quick breakfast of biscuits. What a great highway it is. Mostly empty lanes! Just feeling more and more gratitude that I am doing this, somehow life wished me do it. Pure bliss. There are small hills in the vicinity. All set for a romantic ride!

Cycling in 4 states on single gear cycle 5: Lokapur- Bagalkote- Kolhar (71 kms)

✪ Connection with Bagalkote!
✪ Beautiful Ghatprabha river
✪ Meeting massive Krishna river
✪ Bipolar village- Kolhar
✪ Acclimatization of the body and the mind

Hello all. There was long gap in writing my experiences related to cycling done in September- October 2022. Due to sky watching activities and other works, I was not able to write next part. Also I was enjoying early morning running feast and glorious foggy rides these days. It is a never to be missed joy! So writing these blogs slightly slipped behind. The cycling expedition itself was completed in 18 days, but writing those experiences is still going on! So you can imagine which is more easy. :) But people who were with me in this process reminded me again. So now finding time for this. It makes my eyes teary when I recall experiences during this 1500 km expedition. So many people were there with me, nature accompanied me beautifully! That Chorla ghat, then Sironcha- Gadchiroli forest and affectionate people everywhere1 The cycle also supported me and remained not out till last. This cycling expedition was actually a joyous pilgrimage into nature. Outline of this cycle expedition can be read here. Through this article, sharing my joy of this nature pilgrimage with you all.

...Yesterday, on 26th September as I could not find a shelter at the planned village, I had to ride 18 kms more to find a shelter in Lokapur. So accidentally, instead of 90 kms, it was a hundred with 108 kms! I had good rest in Lokapur. As there was no contact persons or organizations in Lokapur, there was no interaction. I took food in the evening and took rest. Our body has a miraculous strength. Yesterday was the third day, now I am used to the cycling. Now I get less tired. Also, the body is getting adjusted to things such as new place of every next day, different food, mosquitos etc. So I could get good rest in the night. Of course, as this expedition involved back- to back riding, not a single day I could have complete 100% rest. But the mind and the body is used to that also.