Our Society has received a Meade ETX 90mm telescope from Permission To Dream of US. And we are using it to show the celestial wonders to the school kids and the public.

On this page:

School list

List of public and school sessions

Observation Reports

Occidental Public School

Anamnagar, Kathmandu

Nepal

Phone:977 1 4226690

Classic Academy

Thapathali, Kathmandu

Nepal

Phone:977 1 4

Bhrikuti International School

Gaighat, TNP-2

Udayapur, Sagarmatha zone

Nepal

Phone:977 35 420619

Manakamana English Boarding School

Koteshwor, Kathmandu

Nepal

Phone: 977 1 4477              

Udayapur English Boarding School

Gaighat, TNP-2

Udayapur, Sagarmatha zone

Nepal

Phone: 977 35 420...

On January 12 we organized a free session for another school of Gaighat--Udayapur E. B. School. We had a short presentation about the surface of the Moon first. With lots of humor and showing connection with school science course, I told them about the telescope type, Moon surface (Maria and craters), Moon Landings (P2D Mission 1), the way craters formed, etc. This time we could not use a computer for presentation, instead I made a fast sketch of Moon on a big chart paper, where main observation objects were shown. We also distributed a good map of the moon. We regret for not being able to distribute handouts with more information.

Copernicus and Tycho craters, with bright rays, and Mare Tranquilitatis, the Apollo landing site, were the main targets. So while showing the Moon through the scope, I explained each student where they would see them. There were more craters near the southern pole than anywhere else on the Moon. The mountain ranges were distinct near the shadowed part of the gibbous Moon. They were excited to see and learn the Moon!

After the presentation and during observation, they had some other questions too. We explained them the answers unambiguously.

The teacher of the school asked us to show them nebulas and clusters to the students in future so that it would be easier for them to understand these bodies (that they learn in their SLC textbooks). He also had a good time observing the Moon!

With the help of local people and school teachers of Bhrikuti International School we organized Free Moon Observation Session for the public on 7 and 8 January in Gaighat. We had plans for the sessions starting from 6 Jan but that day the Moon seemed playing hide and seek or what one of the students said 'Audai Jadai garnu yo jiwanma...' quoting from a song by The Uglyz Band. The city suddenly went foggy and clouds were moving so we cancelled the day's program.

The first day (7th Jan), we set up the scope on a small tea table in front of my house. At first few people came asking what we were doing as we had not advertised the program before. Later so many people turned up as the news had passed man to man. The pedestrians stopped for a glance and were like flabbergasted to see, for the first time, the Moon through a telescope so near and clear with its irregular surface features. People were saying that the craters looked more like water pits. The Mare, of cement color, were like real seas to them. One elder said there was jungle on the Moon and persisted that there was! We told him that they were not jungles but craters, holes made due to impact. ;-)

Some women asked us how the craters are formed and we told them that these are formed when space rocks hit the surface of the Moon. We even told them why there are so many of them on the Moon and almost none on Earth. That's when they learnt about the meteors, the shooting stars, that they are not actually what they called in Nepali tara le hageko (star's stool).

People were coming even when all shops and doors were closed, and the telescope continued to track the Moon with its motor. Some of them wanted to see with the 9mm eyepiece (that Sangam dai had lent us a long time ago), so we showed some good clusters of craters to them with that.

On the second day, school students were informed and advertised a little, and many people turned up again. This time we had set up the telescope in Bhrikuti Int'l School's ground. People were surprised to see the cratered surface of the Moon. And when we put the 9mm eyepiece, the Southern side looked terrific. The South pole looked as if biten by a mouse. A crater was all in shadow that this kind of view was seen. Some people wanted to know about the Apollo 11 Moon Landings and we showed exactly where it was, in the Sea of Tranquility.

The students were taught about the Moon in their classes so they have written some essays based on their observation of the Moon. [The essays will be posted on our site very soon]

[Also see our News page for news reports of our programs and future program dates]