GTTP
Session:
Galileo
Teacher Training Program (GTTP) workshop on Transit of Venus was organized from
11:30 am to 2:00 pm. This special session of AstroFest on ToV2012-Nepal was organized
in order to increase the opportunity for the public by giving hands-on
activities/experience on safe solar viewing techniques to the students of 7
schools selected schools from Kathmandu Valley.
Mr.
Prabodh Rijal, president- ESPRO Foundation welcomed all the participants school
on behalf of organizers. Mr. Sudeep Neupane, Vice-president-NASO, (Global Hands
on Universe) GHOU-Nepal Chapter chair and GTTP co-ordinator-Nepal introduced
about the workshop and importance for implementing science in our daily life.
After the introduction, the groups were provided the workshop materials and ask
to build the Pinhole Cameras and estimate the diameter of the sun with the help
of provided hands-out. They were also trained to build the Mirror Ball
Projector by using simple mirror, plastic cricket ball, Plastic glass and
super-glue. The result was excellent from the students which were tested on the
spot by the volunteers and NASO executives on the fields with the supervision
of school teachers who were accompanying their students for such projects.
Associate professors Dr. Binil Aryal and Dr. Raju Khanal from Tribhuvan
University observed the students engagements and were praising their works with
them.
The
workshop was concluded by the screening of Russian documentary on First woman
in space: Valentina Tereskova. This approximately 30 minute long documentary
remained a catalytic show to motivate participant students to study space
science and astronomy.
Public
Talk Sessions:
On
Monday, June 4, public talk on ToV was organized as after the opening ceremony of
AstroFest on ToV2012 Nepal, June 4-6, 2012 at Russian Center of Science and
Culture, Kamaladi, Kamalpokhari, Kathmandu. Ms. Kamana Dixit welcomed the
participants and speaker to the festival on behalf of RCSC and other
organizers. She also highlighted on the Russian Contribution to the development
of space science and astronomy in the world. She explained the center has been
organizing various events on astronomy and space science in Nepal as a joint
program with Nepal Astronomical Society since 2007. The program was addressed
by Mr. Sudeep Neupane, vice president-NASO with an introduction to the
AstroFest on ToV2012-Nepal. The sort opening ceremony was followed by the
detailed talk on ToV by Associate Prof. Dr. Binil Aryal, Chair-ACRG-Nepal. The
interactions after the public talk remained interesting as there were different
questions ranging from whether the world will end in 2012 to who Transit is
important. The event was at Theater of Russian Center between 2:30 pm to 4 pm. Mr.
Prabodh Rijal, President-ESPRO Foundation expressed the vote of thanks to the
invited speaker and the participants. The session was hosted by Mr. Suresh
Bhattarai, secretary-NASO.
On
Tueday, June 5, a public talk by Associate Prof. Dr. Raju Khanal, Department of
Physics-Tribhuvan University (TU) at conference hall during 11:15 am to 1:00
pm. Dr. Rishi Shah gave special appearance and best wishes for the festival
from Washington DC, USA through skype. Dr. Chiranjivi Regmi, Chief- Planning
and Evaluation Division at NAST welcomed the participants and highlighted the
importance of such talk programs for the greater awareness among the public.
The impressive talk by Dr. Khanal helped to solve many questions of the
participants and clear idea on ToV and observation next morning with all
available resources around us. Mr. Prabodh Rijal, President-ESPRO Foundation
expressed the vote of thanks to the invited speaker and the participants. The
session was hosted by Mr. Suresh Bhattarai, secretary-NASO.
Special
Screening of “Acquainted With the Night”:
A
special screening of 79 minute length Gemini
Award Winning documentary “Acquinted With the Nights” was scheduled on June 4
and 5 at RCSC from 4:30 pm for the first time in Nepal with the special
permission to NASO from the Michael Macnamara, Director of the documentary.
“Acquainted
With The Night” is a feature documentary that traces a journey through a night
from sunset to sunrise. The clock
dictates the stories as they change, hour by hour, from 6pm to 6am. Some stories are joined in progress; others
begin in one hour, and resolve in another.
Acquainted
With The Night presents inside stories of nighttime phenomena, customs and
rituals from the perspective of scientists, biologists, laborers,
truck-drivers, artists, cops and criminals - all whose work and lives are
related to the night. The underlying themes explored are environmental,
biological and sociological -- what really happens to a “city that never
sleeps”? What are the effects of light
pollution, on the natural world, on human behavior and health, and on the
future of the planet? What thrills us
and what frightens us about the world after dark? As the answers unfold with stories in Greece,
France, Morocco, Nepal, USA, Canada and Mexico, we become intimately
"Acquainted With the Night." “Acquainted With The Night” is inspired
by the award-winning book of the same title by Christopher Dewdney. The film was written and directed by Michael
McNamara and produced by Judy Holm.
Observation
Programs in Kathmandu Valley:
An
observation program was scheduled at NAST premises and co-ordinated at
different places of Kathmandu Valley as well as outside at Damak, Chitwan and
Pokhara to have better opportunities for the public to observe his rare
celestial event from their nearest places.
The
observation program scheduled at NAST was shifted to Eureka High School on the
evening of Tuesday, June 5 due to some unavoidable circumstances. With this last
minute shift of the venue, NASO could not do the live streaming of ToV on its
USTREAM Channel. The Observation program was held at 5:30 am to 11:00 am where
more than 1,000 people including school students and public. NASO set its two
telescopes with the proper filtering at the observation site. Besides, around
100 solar Eclipse glasses were used by the organizers to show the Transit among
the public. Nearby schools joined with their students for the observation where
NASO executive and volunteers explained them about the Sun, Venus, transit and
importance of Venus Transit. The seven
participant schools of the workshop conducted observation programs at their
schools inside Kathmandu Valley providing this unique opportunity to more than
1,500 people. Besides these schools, NASO also helped to organize small
observation programs in Kathmandu Valley providing Eclipse Glasses to some
schools and Youth Clubs.
Observations outside Kathmandu Valley
Damak Multiple Campus, Damak, Jhapa:
Damak Astronomy Club in association with Department of
Physics, Damak Multiple Campus and with support of NASO organized an
observation program at Campus ground.
More than 50 participants enjoyed the Venus Transit from Solar Eclipse
Glasses. The participants were very happy to have this rare opportunity and
thanked the organizers.
Prithivi Narayan Multiple campus, Pokhara, Kaski:
Pokhara Astronomical Soceity (PAS) in association with
Creative Science Association and technical support from NASO organized an
observation program at Prithivi Narayan Multiple Campus, Pokhara. The program
was accompanying with the presentations on ToV in the Campus Hall in order to explain
the importance of ToV, safe observation and importance of astronomy for the
development of our society. More than 500 people observed this rare celestial
drama from Pokhara for the first time in Nepal with such a grand celebration.
This program motivated students from Pokhara for their career in astronomy.
Amora College, Bharatpur, Chitwan:
Aroma College of Applied Science and Management in
association with Nepal Astronomy and Space Science Association in support of
NASO organized an observation program at the Campus ground. Prior to the
observation day, on June 5, they organized a half day workshop on ToV where 58
participants attended including students and teachers from 13 different
institutions around the region. More
than 400 observers at Aroma College enjoyed Venus transiting the Sun on June 6,
2012. As per the NASSA, more than 1,300
people had an opportunity to watch this rare event through the observation
programs organized at 13 different schools who took part in the workshop
earlier day.
Organizers are very happy to reach more than 5, 000
people with this unique and rare opportunity to observe Venus Transit in Nepal.
NASO coordinated this astronomy festival for the first
in the history in Nepal.
Photo 1: Mr.
Prabodh Rijal, President-ESPRO Foundation delivering welcome speech at GTTP
session on Monday, June 4, 2012 at Conference Hall of RCSC.
Photo 2: Mr.
Sudeep Neupane, Vice-president-NASO, (Global Hands on Universe) GHOU-Nepal
Chapter chair and GTTP co-ordinator-Nepal explaining the team of the GTTP workshop
on Monday, June 4, 2012 at RCSC.
Photo 3:
Teachers and students working on their project to built Mirror ball projector
and Pin Hole Camera to Observe the Transit of Venus by projection method and
calculate the diameter of the sun on during GTTP workshop.
Photo 4:
Students of Eureka High School posing for the photo after successful completion
their projects.
Photo 5:
Students watching the
documentary on “First Woman in Space: Valentina Tereshkova during GTTP Session
Photo 6:
Inauguration of AstroFest on ToV2012-Nepal on Monday, June 4, 2012 at RCSC,
Kathmandu.
Photo 7: Ms.
Kamana Dixit delivering welcome speech on behalf of organizers at the AstroFest
on ToV2012-Nepal on Monday, June 4, 2012 at RCSC, Nepal.
Photo 8: Mr.
Sudeep Neupane, vice president-NASO introducing AstroFest on ToV2012-Nepal,
June 4-6, 2012 to the participants on Monday, June 4, 2012 at RCSC, Kathmandu,
Nepal
Photo 9: Mr.
Suresh Bhattarai, secretary-NASO inviting the speaker associate prof. Dr. Binil
Aryal, chair-ACRG-Nepal for his public talk on “Venus Transit and Few Unsolved
Issues” on Monday, June 4, 2012 at RCSC, Kathmandu, Nepal
Photo 10:
Associate prof. Dr. Binil Aryal, chair-ACRG-Nepal delivering his public talk on
“Venus Transit and Few Unsolved Issues” on Monday, June 4, 2012 at RCSC,
Kathmandu, Nepal
Photo 11: Associate Prof. Dr.
Raju Khanal, explaining the participants of the public talk about the geomerty
of our solar system and Venus Transit at NAST on Tuesday, June 5, 2012.
Photo 12: Mr. Sudeep Neupane,
Vice president of NASO, during the television interview on Transit of Venus at
NAST premises in the evening of Tuesday
, June 5, 2012
Photo 13: Mr. Suresh Bhattarai,
secretary of NASO, guiding the students on Safe Observation of Venus Transit
through PST ( Personal Solar Telescope) at Eureka High School on June 6, 2012.
Photo 14: Nirmal Nischal and Roshani
Silwal, volunteers of the festival, guiding the students to look through the
telescope on Transit day, June 6, 2012.
Photo 15:
Members of Damak Astronomy Club and College officials posing for group photo
during the observation program on June 6, 2012 at Damak Multiple Campus, Damak,
Jhapa.
Photo 16:
Observer reading the instruction on Solar Eclipse Glasses before looking at the
Sun at Damak Campus on June 6, 2012.
Photo 17:
Organizers posing for a group photo during the program on June 6, 2012 at
Pokhara Multiple Campus, Pokhara for the observation of Venus Transit.
Photo 18: Mr.
Jeevan Lamsal from PAS presenting a talk on ToV2012 on June 6, 2012 at Campus
Building.
Photo 19: Mr.
Sujan Regmi from PAS explaining the safe viewing of the Transit of Venus to one
of the participant at the observation program on June 6, 2012 in Pokhara.
Photo 20:
participants of the Workshop posing for the group photo at Aroma College,
Chitwan, Nepal on June 5, 2012.
Media Coverage
Kalika FM
95.2 MHz, Chitwan, Nepal
The FM did live
interview of Mr. Suresh Bhattarai, secretary-NASO at 7:00 am on Wednesday, June
6, 2012 from Eureka High School, Nepaltar, Balaju, Nepal. This 5 minute
telephone interview contained information on what is Transit of Venus, Why it
is important and about the safety precautions while observing such events.
Radio
Sagarmatha, Lalitpur, Nepal:
The FM had live
telephone interview of Mr. Sudeep Neupane on the Transit day from Eureka High
School, Nepaltar, Balaju, Nepal. The FM which has coverage in around 17
districts around Kathmandu valley is listened more among intellectuals. The
archived will be maintained as much as possible.
Ujyalo 90 FM , Kathmandu, Nepal (Ujyalo Ninety Network-UNN)
The FM official
took telephone interview of Mr. Suresh Bhattarai, secretary-NASO to prepare a
report which was broadcasted as prime news on Wednesday, June 6, 2012 during
Nepalkhabar at 9:00 am. ( also 12:00 pm and 3:00 pm on the same day). The
network has many partners FM which broadcast Nepalkhabar at the same time as in
Kathmandu through satellite uplink. The network is the widest Network of FM in
Nepal covering east to far west with such arrangements. This can be downloaded
from www.unn.com.np.
Avenues TV,
Kathmandu, Nepal:
The TV reporters
had the interviews of Prof. Dr. Prakash Chandra Adhikari, secretary-NAST and
Mr. Sudeep Neupane, Vice-president-NASO in the evening on Tuesday June 5, 2012
at NAST while preparing for the Observation program next morning. The news had been broadcasted from News@7 pm
and continued till Wednesday, June 6, 2012 evening. We will get the copy of the interview.
News24 Nepal,
Kathmandu, Nepal:
On Transit day,
June 6, 2012, Mr. Suresh Bhattarai had a live interview at Studio of News24 at
11:00 am-11:30 am to discuss about Transit of Venus. During the discussion, Mr.
Bhattarai primarily focused on importance of Venus Transit and Safety
precautions that should be taken during the observation of such events. We will
get the copy of interview.
Kathmandu
Post National English Daily:
This paper
published the news on June 7, 2012 and clearly mentioned about the AstroFest on
ToV2012 as per our press release issued on June 3, 2012. The news was published
on second page under metro section. There was a Transit Photo taken from
Swayambhu in the cover page taken by Sanjog Manandhar.
Nagarik
National Nepali Daily:
This paper
interviewed Suresh Bhattarai, secretary-NASO for the information. They were
provided press releases and information on ToV on June 6, 2012. The news was
published on page 4 under metro section in detail. The cover page included
transit photo taken from Swayambhu by Nibesh Chitrakar of Reuters.
OnlineMedia
Nepal, Kathmandu,Nepal:
The officials of
Online Media Nepal had an interview of Mr. Suresh Bhatarai, secretary-NASO. The
page could not be found at the moment due to maintenance.
Facebook
& Twitter:
NASO has created
its official Facebook and twitter pages:www.facebook.com/NASONepal & www.twitter.com/NASONepal Mr. Gaurav Kandel, creator of View Your Choice (VYC), an
International Project, volunteered for Live Tweet and FB updates during the
festival. V
This document is released by Nepal
Astronomical Society (NASO) on Friday, June 22, 2012 at Kathmandu, Nepal.
