Continuing Rajasthan’s rich heritage of astronomical studies dating back to the 18th century, BITS Pilani’s Astronomy Club has imbibed the tradition of interest in the cosmos. The club attempts to bring about awareness in the field of Astronomy and Space Research in students largely interested in engineering. “We have been promoting amateur astronomy through talks, competitions and shows. It’s fun, but it can be even more fun when learnt in a group”, said Kaushik, Oasis head of Astro Club.
Kaushik characterizes their club as a group that shares a common hobby; they aim to build on the scope of their education in STEM fields by learning about concepts with the help of Mrs. Kaushar, a faculty mentor who oversees the program. With the help of the mentor’s industry contacts and institute funding, they build on their skill set by learning to focus a telescope on a celestial object, identify celestial objects, identify directions without aid, find local time, learn astrophotography and much more. Weekly meetings are held to host stimulating discussions on general physics models and theories. Workshops are also conducted during the World Science Week to commemorate the spirit of science education.
Every year, the Astro club hosts events in BITS Pilani’s cultural fest Oasis to spread the ideas of general astronomy, cosmology and astrophotography to the crowds through interactive activities. This year, events are scheduled to occur, none of which require registration. Nightwatch is a skywatching session open to the public, where participants are taught to identify star cluster patterns in the Winter Sky. Quizzar is the club’s Sci-Fi quizzing event that tests the crowd on scientific concepts referenced in popular culture. Everyone Dies is a pilot event that draws inspiration from Quoran Dave Consiglio, who conjures detailed scenarios resulting in global destruction. Participants will be required to judiciously buy items and use them to design a model which results in global death.
Kaushik believes that a lot of work is required to bridge the gap between a hobby club and a professional group that works on innovative ideas. However, he looks forward to Oasis’17 and wishes the participants good luck.