Gujarat Science City is organizing one-day workshop on Solar Eclipse to mark the celebration of Sun Earth Day to be observed on 29^th March 2006. The workshop will be followed by the viewing of partial solar eclipse to be seen at Ahmedabad sky from 16.31 to 17.44 hrs. 

 

For everybody the eclipse is a unique opportunity to admire and celebrate the beauty and inspiration of the celestial experience: a black Sun in a noon dawn, a Sun magnified by the aura of its powerful corona. The experience of such a moment triggers questions on the cosmos, our Earth in space, and our human condition - a shared unforgettable experience that crosses boundaries of language, race, religion and culture.

 

The workshop on Sun Earth Day will be started at 10.30 am on 29^th March 2006. The session includes exploring our sun, sun – earth relation, science behind eclipse and its scientific studies, tips on safe viewing of eclipses, eclipse and blind believes and the scientific activities during the eclipse time. The workshop is open for students, teachers, science communicators and media persons. The activity has been planned in coordination with NASA Sun-Earth Day Public Outreach Programme.  The workshop will be for limited number of participants on first cum first serve basis. Interested participants are encouraged to confirm their participation by telephone or email before 28^th March 2006.

 

Eminent Scientist and former Director of city based SAC-ISRO Prof. S. P. Pandya will inaugurate the workshop. In addition, Prof. N. M. Ashok and Prof. J. N. Desai of PRL, Dr. J. J. Rawal of Indian Planetary Society, Dr. B. R. Sitaram of Zeal Education Services, Shri S. D. Vora, Shri A. R. Mahanty, Dr. Narottam Sahoo of Gujarat Science City will coordinate various interactive sessions.

 

The common public has lots of misconception and blind believe about celestial activities, particularly during solar and lunar eclipses. Claims are made for “poisonous gases that will harm the foetus'', strange radiation or enhanced radiation that is present only during eclipses, `magnetic effects'' that will suddenly make their presence felt, the possible contamination of water; the list is virtually endless. All of them are entirely unscientific and baseless, without an iota of evidence; indeed in the case of most such claims there is firm evidence to the contrary.

 

The biggest benefit comes from coordinating modern ground-based eclipse observations with space measurements. There are still new discoveries to be made from eclipses, by using the latest methods of investigation; very accurate timing, fast rate of measurements, wavelengths not covered from space such as infrared or visible ranges, new experimental techniques.

 

Gujarat Science City is taking a bold step for capturing new heights in science literacy in the State. The aim is to inculcate scientific temper to explore the wonder world of science and technology for societal development.

 

 

29^th March 2006

Gujarat Science City, Ahmedabad

 

Time	Programme	Resource Person	Venue
10.30 to 11.00 hrs	Inauguration of the workshop	Prof. S. P. Pandya Former Director, SAC-ISRO, Ahmedabad   Shri S. D. Vora, Executive Director, Gujarat Science City	Aud-I
11.00 hrs	Tea Break
11.15 to 11.45 hrs	Exploring our Sun	Dr. N. M. Ashok Chair, Astronomy and Astrophysics, PRL, Ahd	Aud-I
11.45 to 12.30 hrs	Sun and Earth	Dr. J. J. Rawal, President, President, Indian Planetary Society, Mumbai	Aud-I
12.30 to 13.30 hrs	Scientific Studies during Eclipses	Dr. J. N. Desai Sr Scientist (Retd) PRL Ahmedabad	Aud-I
13.30 to 14.30 hrs	Lunch
14.30 to 15.30 hrs	Science of Eclipse	Dr. B. R. Sitaram Director, Zeal Education Services	Aud-I
15.30 hrs	Tea Break
15.45 to	Tips for Safe viewing of Eclipse	Shri A. R. Mahanty, Manager (E&M), GCSC
15.45 to 16.30 hrs	Preparation for Eclipse Observation	Dr. Narottam Sahoo Sr. Scientist, GCSC	Amphitheatre
16.30 to 17.45 hrs	Eclipse Observation and scientific experimentation	With the presence of Resource Persons
17.45 to 18.30 hrs	Winding up: Eclipse and Our Society	Shri S. D. Vora, Executive Director	Aud-I / Amphitheatre