This Lunar Month is the shortest month of 2017

હાલમાં ચાલતો જેઠ માસ આ વર્ષનો સૌથી નાનો મહિનો છે!!

ગરમી થી ત્રાહિમામ્ કરાવતો જેઠ માસ જેઠીયા તાપથી અળખામણો બની રહ્યો છે ત્યારે એક રોચક જાણકારી પ્રાપ્ત થઈ છે જ્યેષ્ઠ એટલે કે મોટો એવા સંસ્કૃત શબ્દ થી બનેલો જેઠ માસ આ વરસે ખરેખર નાનો દિયર એટલે કે નાનો બની ગયો છે. ( ગરમી ના દિવસો જેટલા જલ્દી ઓછા થાય એટલ સારા !!) સામાન્ય રીતે આપણે માનીએ છીએ કે મહિનામાં 30 દિવસ હોય છે. 30 તિથિ હોય છે પરંતુ દર વખતે 30 દિવસ હોતા નથી. થોડું અટપટું લાગ્યું ? તો વિસ્તાર થી સમજવા પ્રયત્ન કરીએ. આ બાબતે ખગોળ વિજ્ઞાનના અભ્યાસુ અને કચ્છ એસ્ટ્રોનોમી ક્લબ ના પ્રમુખ નરેન્દ્ર ગોર સાગરએ સંશોધન કરતાં નોધ્યું કે આ વખતે જેઠ માસની લંબાઈ 29 દિવસ 6 કલાક 46 મિનિટની છે જે આ વર્ષના કોઈ પણ માસ કરતાં ટુંકા માં ટુંકી છે. ગત ફાગણ માસની લંબાઈ 29 દિવસ 14 કલાક 51 મિનિટ હતી જે 8 કલાક 05 મિનિટ વધારે હતી. આ બાબતે વધુ પ્રકાશ પાડતાં શ્રી ગોર જણાવે છે કે આપણા મહિનાઓ ચંદ્રની પ્રુથ્વી આસપાસની ગતી ને ધ્યાન માં રાખીને બનાવવામાં આવ્યા છે. ચન્દ્રને પ્રુથ્વી આસપાસ એક ચક્કર મારી લેતાં 29.5 દિવસ લાગે છે. એટલે મહિનામાં ક્યારેક 30 દિવસ અને ક્યારેક 29 દિવસ હોય છે. આ સમય ગાળો સરાસરી છે પરંતુ દરેક મહિનો સરખા અંતરનો હોતો નથી. ચન્દ્ર પ્રુથ્વીની લંબગોળ કક્ષામાં ફરતો હોઈ જ્યારે ચન્દ્ર પ્રુથ્વીની નજીકના અંતરે હોય ત્યારે મહિનો ટુંકો હોય છે જ્યારે તે દુર હોય છે ત્યારે મહિનો મોટો હોય છે. હાલમાં મુસ્લિમ બિરાદરોનો પવિત્ર રમજાન મહિનો ચાલે છે. મુસ્લિમ માસ પણ ચન્દ્રની ગતી આધારીત હોઈ આ વખતે રોજા ની સંખ્યા 30 ને બદલે 29 થવાની શક્યતા વધારે જણાય છે. નોંધવા લાયક બાબત એ છે કે જ્યારે ચાન્દ્ર માસ ટુંકામાં ટુંકો હોય ત્યારે અમાસના દિવસોની આસપાસ ચન્દ્ર પ્રુથ્વીથી સૌથી નજીકના અંતરે થી પસાર થાય છે. આવી જ રીતે સદીનો (વર્ષ 2001 થી 2100) લાંબામાં લાંબો મહિનો તા. 19 ડિસેંબર 2018 ના શરુ થતો પોષ મહિનો હશે! આ મહિનો 29 દિવસ 19 કલાક 47 મિનિટ નો હશે.

ग्रीष्म ऋतु की शुरुआत हो चुकी है।
बादलों की आवन जावन भी चल रही है।
कहीं कहीं वर्षा रानी भी गरमी से त्रस्त लोगों को छुड़ाने आ पहूंची है ऐसे में आज हम ग्रीष्म त्रिभुज में समाविष्ट हंस पुच्छ (DENEB) नामक तारे की बात करेंगे

अगर रात्रि के नौ दस के करीब एक खूबसूरत ग्रीष्म त्रिभुज देखने मिलेगा।
जो अब एक और मौसम के लिए सुविधाजनक शाम के दृश्य में वापस आने के बारे में है। यह कोई अलग से तारक जुथ Constallation नहीं है परंतु यह एक तीन अलग तारामंडल में आये हुए तीन चमकदार सितारों से बना है। 1.हंस मंडल (Cygnus) के हंस पुच्छ (DENEB), 2. श्रवण मंडल (AQULA) के श्रवण (ALTAIR) और 3. वीणा मंडल (LYRA) के अभिजीत (VEGA) को मिलाकर सुन्दर त्रिकोण बनता है।
अब इस ग्रीष्म त्रिभुज सितारों में से एक जब आप डेनेब (हंस पुच्छ)को ध्यान से देखते हैं, तो आप अंतरिक्ष की एक महान दूरी पर देख रहे हैं। डेनेब की सटीक दुरी अब तक नहीं जानी शकी है, लेकिन स्वीकार्य दुरी लगभग 2,600 प्रकाश-वर्ष मानी गयी है। इससे डेनेब को सबसे दूर के सितारों में से एक के रूप में देखा जा सकता है जो हम अपनी आंखों से देख सकते हैं।


खगोलविदों को डेनेब की दूरी ठीक से क्यों नहीं पता? वास्तव में, इस तारे की दूरी के लिए अलग-अलग अनुमान हैं । अबतक की जानी गयी विकसीत  प्रक्रिया की यह एक झलक है, जिसमें खगोलविदों की टीमों या विभिन्न खगोलविद्  - उन्नत प्रौद्योगिकियों का उपयोग करते हैं - कुछ साल पहले जो कुछ भी सीखा था, इसमें सुधार करने का प्रयास करते हैं।


पास के सितारों के लिए दूरी खोजने के लिए खगोलविद लोग लंबन(PARALLAX) विधि का उपयोग करते हैं। लेकिन डेनेब पृथ्वी की सतह से सटीक लंबन माप के लिए बहुत दूर है।


डेनेब की दूरी के अनुमानों को विभिन्न तरीकों से प्राप्त किया गया है, जिनमें से कुछ सितारों के विकास के तरीके से संबंधित सैद्धांतिक मॉडल शामिल थे और इनमें से कुछ खगोलविद्दोंने सितारे के साइग्नस OB7  में डेनेब की सदस्यता को मानते हुए दुरी को नापने की कोशिष की थी। डेनेब के लिए सबसे महत्वपूर्ण आधुनिक दूर के माप 1990 के दशक में आया, जिसमें ईएसए (ESA) के पृथ्वी-परिक्रमण करना हिपपारकोस स्पेस एस्ट्रोमेट्री मिशन था। हिपपरकोस ने डेनेब पर एस्ट्रोमेट्रिक डेटा इकट्ठा किया। डेटा के शुरुआती विश्लेषण में लगभग 2,600 प्रकाश-वर्ष की दूरी तय की गई है।


तब से, खगोलविदों के विभिन्न समूहों ने हिपपारकस डेटा का फिर से विश्लेषण किया है। हम जानते हैं कि प्रत्येक आने वाले वर्ष के साथ कम्प्यूटर शक्ति मजबूत हो जाती है, जो विश्लेषण के लिए तकनीकों को बेहतर बनाने में मदद करती है। उदाहरण के लिए, उदाहरण के लिए, 2009 में Peer-Reviewed Journal of Astronomy and Astrophysics में प्रकाशित एक अध्ययन मे विश्लेषण की एक नई विधि का इस्तेमाल किया, जिसके परिणामस्वरूप डेनेब के लिए दूरी तय हुई जो कि व्यापक रूप से स्वीकृत मूल्य का केवल आधा हिस्सा था।


डेनेब की दूरी इतनी महत्व पूर्ण क्यों है? यह खगोलविदों के लिए मायने रखता है क्योंकि - अगर उन्हें नहीं पता कि स्टार कितना दूर है - वे अपने वास्तविक आकार, द्रव्यमान और ऊर्जा उत्पादन की सटीक संख्या प्राप्त नहीं कर सकते।


ईएसए (ESA) के पास अब एक दूसरा एस्ट्रोमेट्रिक सैटेलाइट है - जिसे पृथ्वी के चारों ओर की कक्षा में भेजा गया है जिसे गिया (GAIA) - कहा जाता है। इसका लक्ष्य पहले की तुलना में अधिक सटीकता के साथ सितारों की स्थिति और दूरी को मापना है, ऐसा  ईएसए का कहना है ।

सितंबर 2016 में सितारों के नए डेटा आये  मगर उसमे देनब के डेटा को रिलीज़ में शामिल नहीं किया गया था। संभवतः डेनेब के लिए एक नई दूरी का अनुमान अप्रैल 2018 के लिए गिया के दूसरे डेटा रिलीज में शामिल किया जाएगा।
और तब हम सटिकता से कह पाएंगे की हम कितनी दूर देख रहे है!!

विज्ञान अविरत विकास कर रहा है

- Narendra Gor
Astronomer Bhuj
+91 9428220472
Written article based on Earth Sky Updates


Narendra Gor
Kutch Amateur Astronomers Club
Balaji Hobby Center
Bhuj
Contact No +919428220472,
http://kutchastronomy.blogspot.com/

Conjunction of Moon and Aldebaran

Astro Update
Conjunction of Moon and Aldebaran
बहोत चर्चित रोहिणी और चन्द्रमा की जोड़ी आज आकाश में नज़र आएगी

पुराण कथा के अनुसार चन्द्र की 27 पत्नियां (27 नक्षत्र) थी उनमें से रोहिणी को ज्यादा फेवर करने के कारण प्रजापति ने चन्द्रमा को श्राप दिया था

वास्तव में यह कथा रोहिणी के चन्द्रमा के साथ पिधान युति (Occultation) की खगोलीय घटना की अलंकारिक कथा है Occultation के समय रोहिणी नाम का तारा (अल्ड्बेरोन) aldebaran चन्द्रमा के पीछे छिप जाएगा

यह दृश्य मनभावन होता है

वैसे आज चन्द्रमा बहोत प्रकाशित होने की वजह से रोहिणी को देखने में थोड़ा प्रयास करना पडेगा

An occultation takes place! At the time of conjunction….

Time will be at 8:25 to 9:30…….. from Bhuj – Kachchh…….

Slight time diff. Will be there for othere places

Use Binoculars and / Or Telescopes….
Count the time to move Half Degree of Moon…

Share your views and Experience on WhatsApp

Nishant Gor ( +91 9879554770)
Narendra Gor ( +91 9428220472 )
Kutch Astronomy Club ~ Bhuj

Important Tips
For Observational Purpose You can watch this from 8:20 to Aldebaran hides behind the Moon…
Then from 9:20 you can restart your observations….

You can Find us on Facebook too.... 

Kutch Aastronomy Club

White Rann Sky

Conjunction of Moon and Aldebaran

Astro Update
Conjunction of Moon and Aldebaran
बहोत चर्चित रोहिणी और चन्द्रमा की जोड़ी आज आकाश में नज़र आएगी

पुराण कथा के अनुसार चन्द्र की 27 पत्नियां (27 नक्षत्र) थी उनमें से रोहिणी को ज्यादा फेवर करने के कारण प्रजापति ने चन्द्रमा को श्राप दिया था

वास्तव में यह कथा रोहिणी के चन्द्रमा के साथ पिधान युति (Occultation) की खगोलीय घटना की अलंकारिक कथा है Occultation के समय रोहिणी नाम का तारा (अल्ड्बेरोन) aldebaran चन्द्रमा के पीछे छिप जाएगा

यह दृश्य मनभावन होता है

वैसे आज चन्द्रमा बहोत प्रकाशित होने की वजह से रोहिणी को देखने में थोड़ा प्रयास करना पडेगा

An occultation takes place! At the time of conjunction….

Time will be at 8:25 to 9:30…….. from Bhuj – Kachchh…….

Slight time diff. Will be there for othere places

Use Binoculars and / Or Telescopes….
Count the time to move Half Degree of Moon…

Share your views and Experience on WhatsApp

Nishant Gor ( +91 9879554770)
Narendra Gor ( +91 9428220472 )
Kutch Astronomy Club ~ Bhuj

Important Tips
For Observational Purpose You can watch this from 8:20 to Aldebaran hides behind the Moon…
Then from 9:20 you can restart your observations….

You can Find us on Facebook too.... 

Kutch Aastronomy Club

White Rann Sky

International Moon Observation Night Celebrated

International Moon Observation Night Celebrated by Kutch Amateur Astronomers Club with the help of NASA

International Observe the Moon Night (InOMN) is an annual worldwide public event that encourages observation, appreciation, and understanding of our Moon and its connection to NASA planetary science and exploration, as well as the cultural and personal connections we all have with Earth's nearest neighbor.  

The Kutch Amateur Astronomers Club Organized InOMN For the Students and general Public Sponsored by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, NASA's Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI), and the Lunar and Planetary Institute.on 8th October 2016 at Meghpar Primary School At Village Meghpar (Bhuj) Kachchh Gujarat India

The Program Covered Moon Observation with 6 inch Ref. Telescope, gathered Students saw Maria and Craters on the Moon, They also understood the various Moon Mission Project undertaken By NASA and ISRO, Shri Narendra Gor President of the Astronomy Club answered the queries of the students covering Talk and Presentation about The moon our Nearest Neighbor. students also learnt about the Pole star and different Constellations.

Mr. Nishant Gor and Mr. Dayaram Jansari Handle the Telescope While Mr. Anil Dadhi the Principal of the School welcome the guest and hope for more awareness program to be done in the School. Certificates were distributed to the participants by Club Authorities. more than 40 students and villagers were present and took part in the Moon Observation Night program. Mr. S P Bariya and Dinesh Daraji were the helping hands.

Astronomers organised this type of program over more than 500 places in all over the world Narendra Gor added

Times of India News Link 

International Moon Observation Night will be Celebrated by Kutch Astronomy Club with the help of NASA

International Moon Observation Night will be Celebrated by Kutch Astronomy Club with the help of NASA

International Observe the Moon Night (InOMN) is an annual worldwide public event that encourages observation, appreciation, and understanding of our Moon and its connection to NASA planetary science and exploration, as well as the cultural and personal connections we all have with Earth's nearest neighbor.  

Everyone on Earth is invited to join the celebration by hosting or attending an InOMN event — and uniting on one day each year to look at and learn about the Moon together.

The Kutch Astronomy Club is Organizing InOMN on 8^th October 2016 For the Students and general Public Sponsored by NASA's Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, NASA's Solar System Exploration Research Virtual Institute (SSERVI), and the Lunar and Planetary Institute.

Date: 8^th October 2016

Venue: Meghpar Primary School At Village Meghpar (Bhuj) Kachchh Gujarat India https://www.google.co.in/maps/place/Meghpar+P.Primary+School-1/@23.1131686,69.5600142,382m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x7225300af4ec2e7!8m2!3d23.1133945!4d69.5601404?hl=en

 Time: 8.00Pm to 10Pm (IST)

The Program will Cover Moon Observation with 6 inch Ref. Telescope, Talk and Presentation about The moon our Nearest Neighbor, Sky Observation, Questions and Answer

The Host: Astronomy Club Meghpar Primary School, Anil Dabhi 9428818639

Organizer: Kutch Astronomy Club Bhuj Narendra Gor 9428220472 with the help of Club Members

All Interested are welcome

For more information about the InOMN click  http://www.lpi.usra.edu/observe_the_moon_night/

Observation Program for Mercury Transit for all Astro lovers Date: 09th May 2016 Time 4.00pm to Sunset

1. Bhuj - Place Mundra Relocation Site Char Rasta Prathmik School Bhuj contact no. 9428220472
2. Mandavi- Gurukul School of science Koday Pool Contact. No. 9033387374

બુધ પારગમનની ઘટના નિહાળવાની વ્યવસ્થા કચ્છ એસ્ટ્રોનોમી ક્લબ દ્વારા ગોઠવવામાં આવી છે.

જ્યારે પૃથ્વી અને સૂર્યની વચ્ચે ચન્દ્રમા આવી જાય છે ત્યારે સૂર્ય ગ્રહણની ઘટના બને છે પરંતુ સૂર્ય અને પૃથ્વીની વચ્ચે આવેલા ગ્રહો શુક્ર કે બુધમાંથી કોઈ ગ્રહ બરાબર સૂર્ય અને પૃથ્વીની વચ્ચે આવે છે ત્યારે પારગમનની ઘટના બને છે. ચન્દ્ર પૃથ્વીની નજીક હોવથી તે મોટો દેખાય છે જ્યારે બુધ અને શુક્ર ચન્દ્રની સરખામણીએ બહુ દૂર હોવાથી તે નાના ટપકાં સ્વરૂપે સૂર્યની તકતી/બિંબ ઉપરથી પસાર થતો દેખાય છે. આ બાબતે વધુ માહિતી આપતાં કચ્છ એસ્ટ્રોનોમી ક્લબ ના પ્રમુખ નરેન્દ્ર ગોરે  જણાવ્યું હતું કે આવતી કાલે 9 મે ના થનાર બુધ પારગમન ભારતમાં સાંજે 16.42 કલાકે બુધ સૂર્યની તકતીમાં પ્રવેશ કરશે અને સૂર્યાસ્ત સુધી જોઈ શકાશે ભારતમાં પશ્ચિમ ભાગે આવેલા કચ્છમાં સૂર્યાસ્ત મોડો થતો હોઈ કેટલાક ખગોળ વૈજ્ઞાનિકો મુંબઈથી ખાસ સંશોધન માટે કચ્છ માં ધામા નાખ્યા છે. જાહેર જનતા તથા ખગોળ રસિકો માટે બુધ પારગમનની અનોખી ખગોળીય ઘટનાને નિહાળવાની ખાસ વ્યવસ્થા કચ્છ એસ્ટ્રોનોમી ક્લબ દ્વારા ટેલિસ્કોપિક પ્રોજેક્શન દ્વારા મુન્દ્રા રીલોકેશન સાઈટ ચાર રસ્તા પ્રાથમિક શાળાની અગાસી ઉપર કરવામાં આવેલ છે આવી ઘટના ફરીથી જોવા માટે ભારતના લોકોએ ઈ.સ. 2032 સુધી રાહ જોવી પડશે જેથી આ ઘટનાનો લાભ લેવા તથા વધુ માહિતી માટે 9428220472 ઉપર સંપર્ક સાધવો

Transit of Mercury – 2016

The tiny inner planet Mercury will be seen passing across the Sun (transit) on 9th May, 2016. Although the event will happen fourteen times this century, the next one visible from India will be in 2032. Hence the 2016 transit is a great opportunity to catch this mini-eclipse and also for us to utilise for astronomy outreach.

© ESO

The Sequence of the Transit:

Monday, 9 May, 2016

Start transit : 16:30 IST → 1/4th transit : 18:30 IST → Mid transit : 20:30 IST → End Transit : 00:32 IST

What will we see?

Path & important times of the Transit for Indian observers.

The event starts at about 4:30 pm and is visible all over India. The first contact occurs at 16:32 IST; however the entrance of the dot may go unnoticed since the contrast at the edge is not sufficient enough. Within minutes the planet Mercury will appear as a tiny dot on the Eastern limb of the solar disc and will become identifiable. Watch out for other sunspots too that may be present.

Mercury will appear as a dot on the solar disc moving roughly from East to West. For an Indian observer this would mean that Mercury will move from the "top" towards the "bottom" of the Sun as it moves towards the western horizon.

As the dot moves inwards the center of the Sun's image, the visibility will improve. Mercury will be at a quarter of its path in front of the Sun at about 18:30 IST. The central point occurs at 20:27 IST when the sun would have set long for us in India.

The best opportunity to view the transiting Mercury is after an hour into the event, when the effect of atmospheric absorption is still not strong enough. The transit continues beyond the sunset. Hence it should be safe to try to look for it or photograph it on the setting Sun. However the size of Mercury being small, recognising it as a black dot requires extra effort. A magnification tool (binocular / telescope) is definitely needed unlike in the case of Venus in 2012, which was strikingly noticeable as a fairly large spot.

Observational constraints:

Regions seeing at least some parts of the transit: Europe, Asia, Africa, North America, South America, Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Arctic, Antarctica | Image © Time and Date AS

In India, we will catch only the initial part of the transit before sunset. Most of Central and South India will see up to the initial 1/4th of the transit and North and West India will see the initial 3/8th of the transit. The Eastern part of India will see the initial 1/8th of the transit only. This translates to 2 hrs, 3 hrs and 1 hr respectively. Discounting the last hour (haze, clouds, dust, landscape etc), that gives us 1, 2 and 0 hrs respectively. This is what we will have to work with and make the best of.

City	Area	Sunset time
Srinagar	North	19:20 IST
Imphal	East	17:48 IST
Nagpur	Centre	18:42 IST
Bhuj	West	19:23 IST
Madurai	South	18:30 IST

Sun Set time for the Kutch Places

Rapar                  19.20

Gandhidham      19.21

Mundra               19.23

Bhuj                     19.23

Mandavi             19.24

Khavada              19.24

Nakhatrana         19.25

Naliya                  19.27

Lakhapat             19.28

Koteshwar           19.29

Gujarat Places

Rajkot              19.17

Dwarka             19.25

Porbandar        19.21

Junagadh         19.17

Bhavnagar        19.11

Jamnagar          19.20

Ahmedabad       19.11

Nadiyad              19.10

Surat                   19.07

Vadodara            19.08

Mahesana           19.13

કેટલીક મહત્વની બાબતો

- બુધ પારગમન સદી માં 13 વખત થાય છે

- તે મે અથવા નવેમ્બર માં થાય છે

- મે મહિનામાં બુધ પૃથ્વીથી નજીક હોવાથી મોટો દેખાય છે

- આ વખતે પાર ગમનની ઘટના  7.5 કલાક જેટલો સમય ચાલશે.  

In addition, it is obvious that since Mercury is only 1/158 of the Sun's apparent diameter, a telescope with a magnification of 50x or more is needed to watch this event. See below for help with this.

Sharing the Transit

If you have a small telescope, know how to project the Sun's image, and have access to a public location from where the western sky can be seen clearly, try and set up an observation by inviting the local community to come and watch the Transit with you. Join us in a nationwide effort to share this spectacle with all people. Please use the form linked below to register your event.

Register your event in a nationwide effort to share this spectacle with all people.

Register Here

Using Telescope or Binoculars:

A simple projection setup made from a cardboard shield and a piece of white paper as a projection surface. Image © Sky & Telescope

Warning: It is very dangerous to observe the Sun through any unfiltered optical system (lenses, binoculars, telescopes & even your bare eye). This may cause serious eye damage and even blindness. The transit observation also involves looking at the sun and hence all the precautions that apply to the observations of Sunspots and Eclipses apply here too and are essential.

* Good quality "Eclipse goggles" (without any tiny holes in them!) may be used, but Mercury will be very hard to spot with the naked eye.

* A better arrangement will be to put Mylar sheets or commercially available Solar filters in front of the objectives of the binoculars / telescopes that you are using. The magnification provided by binocular should suffice to show the event.

* Projections with small telescopes, similar to those done for solar eclipses, would be ideal. We recommend this method as it can give you larger images and they can also be shown to many people.

Links

Here are some more resources about safe viewing methods and accessories :

• Build a Simple telescope [NASA]
• An Easy and Safe Telescope Solar Viewer adapter [IUCAA]
• Build a Sun Funnel to attach to a telescope [Astro Soc of the Pacific]
• How to Look At The Sun [Sky & Telescope Magazine]
• Looking at a Solar Eclipse [Arvind Gupta Toys]

Here are some informative webpages :

• EclipseWise.com [Fred Espenak - "Mr. Eclipse"]

POEC's ToM activities

Aim of the campaign

• Put out material on transits, and hence eclipses and conjunctions, in the public media. This will help in
  (a) combating superstitions and
  (b) promote general astronomy knowledge
• To get the public, but especially the students to see the transit in some form or the other
  Use the transit to get students to do Daytime Astronomy experiments

Methodology

1. Observational

• Promote observation of this event via workshops or resource material and content for such workshops.
• Arrange, with help from 4-5 locations around the country (observatories + amateurs) for a live broadcast on the web and on TV.

2. Organisational

• Bring out a booklet on the history and astronomy of the transit, and how to observe the transit.
• Translate the booklet and put all the pdfs up online for free.
• Ask small telescope owners to register with us for showing the Transit to the public.
• Co-ordiante with media & share the information in relevant circles.

Resource available from : http://astron-soc.in/outreach/activities/sky-event-related/transit-of-mercury-2016/

Mercury Transit 9th May 2016 from Kachchh

Question:-  What is Transit of Mercury?

A transit of Mercury across the Sun takes place when the planet Mercury comes between the Sun and the Earth, and Mercury is seen as a small black dot moving across the face of the Sun.

Transits of Mercury with respect to Earth are much more frequent thantransits of Venus, with about 13 or 14 per century, in part because Mercury is closer to the Sun and orbits it more rapidly.

Transits of Mercury occur in May or November. The last three transits occurred in 1999, 2003 and 2006; the next will occur on May 9, 2016.

On June 3, 2014, the Curiosity rover on the planet Mars observed the planet Mercury transiting the Sun, marking the first time a planetary transit has been observed from a celestial body besides Earth.

we are planning to observe the Transit of Mercury from various places of Kachchh District like Bhuj, Lakhapat, Rapar, Nakhatrana etc

Any interested wants to join or wish helping hand can contact +919428220472

બુધ પારગમનની ઘટના નિહાળવાની વ્યવસ્થા કચ્છ એસ્ટ્રોનોમી ક્લબ દ્વારા ગોઠવવામાં આવી છે.

જ્યારે પૃથ્વી અને સૂર્યની વચ્ચે ચન્દ્રમા આવી જાય છે ત્યારે સૂર્ય ગ્રહણની ઘટના બને છે પરંતુ સૂર્ય અને પૃથ્વીની વચ્ચે આવેલા ગ્રહો શુક્ર કે બુધમાંથી કોઈ ગ્રહ બરાબર સૂર્ય અને પૃથ્વીની વચ્ચે આવે છે ત્યારે પારગમનની ઘટના બને છે. ચન્દ્ર પૃથ્વીની નજીક હોવથી તે મોટો દેખાય છે જ્યારે બુધ અને શુક્ર ચન્દ્રની સરખામણીએ બહુ દૂર હોવાથી તે નાના ટપકાં સ્વરૂપે સૂર્યની તકતી/બિંબ ઉપરથી પસાર થતો દેખાય છે. આ બાબતે વધુ માહિતી આપતાં કચ્છ એસ્ટ્રોનોમી ક્લબ ના પ્રમુખ નરેન્દ્ર ગોરે  જણાવ્યું હતું કે આવતી કાલે 9 મે ના થનાર બુધ પારગમન ભારતમાં સાંજે 16.42 કલાકે બુધ સૂર્યની તકતીમાં પ્રવેશ કરશે અને સૂર્યાસ્ત સુધી જોઈ શકાશે ભારતમાં પશ્ચિમ ભાગે આવેલા કચ્છમાં સૂર્યાસ્ત મોડો થતો હોઈ કેટલાક ખગોળ વૈજ્ઞાનિકો મુંબઈથી ખાસ સંશોધન માટે કચ્છ માં ધામા નાખ્યા છે. જાહેર જનતા તથા ખગોળ રસિકો માટે બુધ પારગમનની અનોખી ખગોળીય ઘટનાને નિહાળવાની ખાસ વ્યવસ્થા કચ્છ એસ્ટ્રોનોમી ક્લબ દ્વારા ટેલિસ્કોપિક પ્રોજેક્શન દ્વારા મુન્દ્રા રીલોકેશન સાઈટ ચાર રસ્તા પ્રાથમિક શાળાની અગાસી ઉપર કરવામાં આવેલ છે આવી ઘટના ફરીથી જોવા માટે ભારતના લોકોએ ઈ.સ. 2032 સુધી રાહ જોવી પડશે જેથી આ ઘટનાનો લાભ લેવા તથા વધુ માહિતી માટે 9428220472 ઉપર સંપર્ક સાધવો

Geminids proves its Reliability 2015

Geminds proves its Reliability

"This is one more bright horison for developing Astro Tourisum in Kachchh" -Narendra Gor

Story By Narendra Gor
Astronomer from White Rann desert of Kachchh

Good Mornning

congratulations to all enthusiastic who were out in such cold wawe and observed !!!

We were here in Tent City White Rann with the group of 25 persons including Tourists, Tent City Staff and some local persons from Village

All enjoyed spectacular heavenly Shower!!! many of them saw first time in their life.
Sandhya came from Sweden while Ankita travelled from Bangalore to White Rann only to watch the falling stars. This is the third year we go some dark places to watch the Geminids, we love this dark place and want to visit again and again for Star Gazing both said. Why they prefer Geminds only? Ankita Shrivastav said Geminids are very special and reliable! !!
We enjoyed here for two full night under the dark sky!! She added

The counting of meteors reaches 128 in two hours from 11.00pm to1.00am some of them were very faint, some were very bright but no fire ball was seen said Narendra Gor president kutch Astronomy Club and incharge of Star Gazing Activity in Tent City
Enthusiasts people recorded arround 500 meteors up to 5.30am
In the begenning Narendra Gor informed about the meteors and constellation Gemini was also shown by Him
Mr. Manish Adhiya a Manager welcomed all on behalf of White Rann Campaign
Mr. Nishant showed and demonstrate how to take photographs of heavenly bodies, he practically took some photographs of the meteors
Mr. Aarif and Bhimji member of the star gazing team handled the 6 inch Telescope.
More than 70 Tourists visited the Star Gazing site
Mr. Aakil gave a vote of thanks

How you will See Five Planets Align in the Morning Sky

How to See Five Planets Align in the Morning Sky

If you look at the right time, the moon will also be a part of the cosmic parade.

Skywatchers will soon have a rare opportunity to view five bright planets in the morning sky. 

Over the next two weeks, five planets will line up for a cosmic dance that will dazzle skywatchers all over the world.

Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn are aligning for the first time in over a decade, and there’s no need for telescopes or binoculars to see the event, since all five planets will look like bright stars in the morning twilight.

On January 28, the moon will join the five visible planets in the dawn sky, first stopping by Jupiter, high in the sky
 
While many early risers may have noticed some of the planets days ago, the best time to look will be from Saturday, January 23 through the end of the first week of February.

During those days, there will be a narrow window in which to catch Mercury in line with the others. If you look too early, it’ll be hidden below the horizon. If you look too late, it’ll be washed out by sunlight. The prime time to see it and the other planets will be about 30 to 60 minutes before local sunrise. Since Mercury will be very low in the southeast
(the same direction as the rising sun), make sure to find a viewing spot with a clear view of the horizon.

Venus, the brightest of all the visible planets, will appear to the upper right of Mercury.
On January 22nd, the two planets will be separated by about 10 degrees, equal to about the width of your fist at arm’s length.
By February 10 the two planets will be less than 5 degrees apart, or about the width of your three middle fingers at arm’s length.

The planetary alignment visible in Earth’s skies is due to the relative positions of the planets in their orbits around the sun.

 

The other three planets will be further to the upper right of Venus. Yellow-colored Saturn, a bit dimmer than Venus, comes first. If you have a telescope, this will be a good time to train it at Saturn and marvel at the planet’s magnificent rings and brighter moons.

Mars will appear to Saturn’s right, looking bright orange, with Jupiter off to its far upper right, completing the alignment high in the sky. Binoculars will show off Jupiter’s four largest moons, which were first seen by Galileo in 1609 with the newly invented telescope.

The entire lineup of planets spans some 110 degrees—more than half of the locally visible skyline.
The planets’ simultaneous visibility in one part of our sky is due to their positions in their respective orbits relative to Earth and the Sun.

By February 6, the thin crescent moon will pose with brilliant Venus and Mercury low in the southeast at dawn.

As an added bonus, the moon will play cosmic hopscotch, jumping from one planet to the next, offering an amazing photo opportunity for sky hounds.

The moon will first pair up with Jupiter on January 27 and 28, then it will park itself next to Mars on February 1,
Saturn on February 3, Venus on February 5, and finally Mercury on February 6.

If you miss this alignment, your next chance to so easily see a grand parade of five planets will be in July 2020.

Clear skies!
For more information
Whatsap 9428220472
Narendra Gor
Kutch Astronomy Club

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