Astrophile - Meteor Mania & Comet Hunt

December is one of the best months for stargazing. The Geminid meteor shower is the most reliable meteor shower and one of the most spectacular celestial events of the year. It peaks during the night of December 13-14, with predictions of up to 80-100 meteors per hour at peak. This year there is a bonus! A chance to observe Comet 46P/Wirtanen, which is going to pass very close to the Earth on December 16.

To catch the Geminids at their peak and the comet, Space Geeks Mumbai is organizing an overnight stargazing session away from the polluted city skies, on the outskirts of Panvel, Navi Mumbai on Thursday December 13-14. Additionally we will also be watching some of the prominent constellations in the night sky, planets, star clusters, nebulae and the Andromeda Galaxy. A powerful 8 inch diameter telescope will be used to observe these. Join us and witness the celestial fireworks!

The session will start with introduction and a short presentation about astronomy. We will then move to the observation field to witness the meteor shower. Additionally we will be observing the comet, Mars, the Moon and its craters, a few star clusters, nebulae and the Andromeda galaxy through telescopes. We will wrap up the session with viewing of Venus during the dawn hours. Unfortunately, Saturn and Jupiter are very close to the Sun at present and hence will be difficult to observe. The experts will be interacting with the attendees and answering questions throughout the night.

Space Geeks Mumbai 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 Geomagnetism). 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: Thursday, 13/12/2018 to Friday, 14/12/2018
Time: 7:00 pm to 6:00 am
Stargazing Venue: Vinoba Bhave Sarvoday Nisarg Upchar Kendra, Umroli, Panvel
Registration Fee: 1200/- (Early Bird, till December 10), 1400/- (Regular, after December 10). 10% discount for past attendees and groups of 3+

Meeting Point 1: Bank of India ATM at Panvel Railway station at 6:15 pm on Saturday, 13/12/2018 (Suitable for people coming by train).
Meeting Point 2: Sarovar Restaurant near Panvel ST Bus Depot at 6:15 pm on Saturday, 13/12/2018 (Suitable for people coming by road).

Inclusions:

• Transportation from Panvel Railway Station/S.T. Bus Depot to observation field and back.
• Food: Mineral water + 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:

• 6:15 pm: Reach meeting point.
• 6:30 pm: Head towards the venue.
• 7:00 - 7:30 pm: Welcome and evening snacks
• 7:30 - 8:00 pm: Presentation about astronomy
• 8:00 - 9:30 pm: Stargazing session 1
• 9:30 - 11:00 pm: Dinner
• 11:00 - 12:30 am: Stargazing session 2
• 12:30 - 1:00 am: Tea break/Rest
• 1:00 - 3:00 am: Stargazing session 3
• 3:00 - 3:30 am: Tea break/Rest
• 3:30 - 6:00 am: Stargazing session 3
• 6:00 am: Group Photo, morning tea and snacks
• 6:30 am: Leave for Panvel

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 Naturopathy center located in a village on the outskirts of Panvel town and is absolutely safe. Families with kids and even people coming alone attend our events.
3. A private open ground next to the venue is used for the stargazing session for the whole night with short breaks at regular intervals. Western style washrooms are available at the venue. A common hall is available for resting for those who feel tired or sleepy. Please bring a thick bedsheet/shawl along with you.
4. It gets very cold during the night at the venue. Please wear full body clothes and carry sufficient thermal wear like sweaters, jackets, woollen 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.
5. 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.
6. To and fro transportation between Panvel Railway Station/S.T. Bus Depot 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.
7. 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.
8. 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.
9. In case of cancellation by the participant, they have to contact the organizers by 11:59 am on December 11. In this case 50 % of the registration fee will be refunded. Beyond this time no amount will be refunded.
10. 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 are not liable for any casualties/loss/damage during the event.
11. 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.
12. Smoking and drinking are strictly prohibited.

Queries: Dr. Virendra Yadav (9920460659), Mr. Chintamani Pai (9773597589). Our numbers may be unreachable between 6 pm to 6 am on Saturday night December 8-9 due to us being busy with a stargazing event.

Space Geeks Mumbai
Keep Looking Up!