Astrophile - Starry Night

November is one of the best months for stargazing. The winter season after the monsoons provides clear skies. Space Geeks is organizing an overnight stargazing session, away from the polluted city skies, on the outskirts of Mumbai in Neral on Saturday, November 23-24, 2019. We will be watching some of the prominent constellations in the night sky such as Cassiopeia, Perseus, Orion, Ursa Major and Auriga; planets, star clusters, nebulae and the Andromeda Galaxy. Star attraction of the event is an 8 inch diameter telescope to be used for the observations. Join us and witness the wonders of the Universe!

The session will include a short presentation about astronomy and observation from field. We will be observing Saturn, Mars, a few star clusters, nebulae and the Andromeda galaxy through telescopes. We will wrap up the session with viewing of the Moon and its craters during the dawn hours. Jupiter and Venus will be close to the Sun and may be difficult to observe during the November 23 stargazing session. The experts will be interacting with the attendees and answering questions throughout the night.

Space Geeks is a group of young researchers committed to giving value-added enrichment in Astronomy and Space Science to enthusiasts, especially in and around Mumbai. It was founded by Dr. Ankush Bhaskar (presently working at NASA), Chintamani Pai (University of Mumbai) and Dr. Virendra Yadav (Indian Institute of Technology,). Our mission is to enhance and share a scientific understanding of the universe among enthusiasts. We have been actively involved in conducting stargazing and meteor shower observation sessions and public talks by prominent space scientists.

When & where:

Date: Saturday, 23/11/2019 to Sunday, 24/11/2019
Time: 6:00 pm to 6:00 am
Stargazing Venue: Matheran Valley English Medium School, Devpada Road, Vanjarpada, Neral, Maharashtra
Registration Fee: 1399/-

[10% discount for past attendees. Special discounts for private groups and groups from educational institutions. Contact Space Geeks for group discounts.] 

Meeting Point: Neral station at 5:30 pm on Saturday, 23/11/2019.

Inclusions:

• Transportation from Neral Railway Station to observation venue and back.
• Food: Water bottle + Welcome snacks + Tea + Homemade simple vegetarian dinner + Tea throughout night
• Venue charges.
• Common hall for rest/stay.
• Printed resources (Night sky charts and study material)
• Demonstration and viewing through Telescopes

Itinerary:

• 5:30 pm: Reach meeting point.
• 5:45 pm: Head towards the venue.
• 6:15 pm - 6:45 pm: Welcome and evening snacks
• 6:45 pm - 7:15 pm: Presentation about Astronomy
• 7:15 pm- 9:30 pm: Stargazing session 1
• 9:30 pm - 11:00 pm: Dinner
• 11:00 pm - 12:30 am: Stargazing session 2
• 12:30 am - 1:00 am: Tea break/Rest
• 1:00 am - 3:00 am: Stargazing session 3
• 3:00 am - 3:30 am: Tea break/Rest
• 3:30 am - 6:00 am: Stargazing session 3
• 6:00 am: Group Photo, morning tea and biscuits
• 6:30 am: Leave for Neral station

Instructions:

1. Participants are required to carry a valid identity proof during the event for their identity verification at the venue.
2. The venue is a school premises. A private open ground next to the school building is used for the stargazing session for the whole night with short breaks at regular intervals. Washrooms are available at the venue. A common hall is available for resting for those who feel tired or sleepy. Please bring a thick bed-sheet/shawl along with you. 
3. It gets very cold during the night at the venue. Please wear full body clothes and carry sufficient thermal wear like sweaters, jackets, woolen caps and gloves. Please wear shoes and avoid sandals. You can bring sleeping bags as well. Please carry a small torch and an empty water bottle.
4. Minors (< 18 year old) should be accompanied by an adult guardian. Minor and the guardian both need to be registered separately. Participants are discouraged from bringing kids younger than 5 year old for the session.
5. To and fro transportation between Neral Railway Station and the session venue has been arranged. In case you plan to come by personal vehicle please inform the organizers as there is limited parking space at the venue.
6. There will be no refund of registration fee in case of a cloudy sky or bad weather on the day of the event, making the night sky observation impossible.
7. In case the event is cancelled by the organizers due to some unavoidable reasons, there will be full refund of registration fee (minus the processing charges) to the respective participants.
8. In case of cancellation by the participant, they have to contact the organizers by 11:59 pm on November 21. In this case 50 % of the registration fee will be refunded. Beyond this time no amount will be refunded.
9. You take full responsibility for your safety and well being during the trip and the session. You will be personally responsible for any valuables that you carry. Organizers and venue providers are not liable for any casualties/loss/damage during the event.
10. Please carry mosquito repellent cream. If you require any medication, please carry your own. If you have any severe medical issue, it is advisable that you do not participate.
11. Smoking and drinking are strictly prohibited.

Queries: +91-9773597589, 91-9176244262, spacegeeksmumbai@gmail.com

Space Geeks Mumbai
Keep Looking Up!