Even as space enthusiasts are set to witness a rare celestial event wherein the comet ISON will make a passage around the sun in the next few weeks, teachers and amateur astronomers in the city, as part of the Eyes on ISON campaign, attended a workshop at S M Joshi Hall not just to promote scientific temper among citizens and but to debunk myths about comets.
The workshop included activities such as making a telescope, a nano model of the solar system and the current position of the ISON as well as showing the trajectory of comets using a magnet.
| Pics: Mahendra Kolhe |
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| Workshop being conducted by Navnirmiti at the S M Joshi Hall on Tuesday |
The campaign was launched by the city NGO Navnirmiti and saw participation by various institutes and amateur astronomers across the country. "We aim to inculcate a scientific attitude in everyone. We want to focus on activity-based learning where people 'do and discover'," said Vipula Abhyankar, principal coordinator of Navnirmiti.
Attending the workshop, Shankar Shelar, a pharmacist and an amateur astronomer from Sangli, was enthusiastic about spreading awareness about astronomical events. "People in rural areas tend to believe that the universe is too difficult to comprehend and telescopes are something that they can't possibly ever see.
Here, we were taught how to make our own telescopes using common materials. I will take these experiments and learning and teach them to school children and others," he said.
Hemant Gadkari, a primary teacher from Baramati, said she is planning to organise more such workshops in villages close to her hometown to inculcate a scientific approach. "A change in attitude starts from the rural areas," she said.
The idea behind the workshop was to dispel the myths associated with such astronomical events and emphasise the fact that they are simply natural phenomenon.
"When we use experiments to teach students about the universe, they are a lot more receptive to learning. These experiments show the sheer scale of the universe and how planets and stars far away from us cannot possibly have an effect on our psychological state and destiny as astrologers would like us to believe.
I will take this learning to my students because these superstitions need to be debunked," said Vasudev Mohadikar, a science teacher from Dharampeth Girls' School in Nagpur.
Comets, which have always been associated with dread, suspicion, and portents of evil, Pritesh Ranadive, a member of Khagol Mandal, an amateur Mumbai-based astronomy group, said, "This workshop will help us spread the message that astronomical events such as the passing of ISON are worth watching and appreciating."
ISON, which belongs to a special category of comets called sungrazers, will be visible to the naked eye an hour before dawn from end of October to January 2014.
"This event has got astronomers excited because the comet is going to be passing very close to the sun. If it survives, its tail will cover half the sky and it is going to be a beautiful event to witness," said Geeta Mahashabde of Navnirmiti.
Did you know?
• ISON is visiting the inner solar system and passing by the sun for the first time in its life
• It is a sungrazing comet, and will pass approximately 12 lakh km from the sun
• Might break into pieces during the passing or might evaporate completely
• If the comet survives, it will be extremely bright
via Science - Google News http://news.google.com/news/url?sa=t&fd=R&usg=AFQjCNG9OUhCsyv9FSANp6Uu2D9_CDz2jw&url=http://www.punemirror.in/article/2/201310022013100216082570380c92d41/Space-enthusiasts-set-for-a-celestial-date-with-comet.html
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