Since I moved to full-time freelance work last year (2014), I haven't been able blog that much. It's a myth that freelancers have more time in hand. When you have a full-time job with proper working hours, you stick to those and do bit more as well. But at the end of the day, you end up having time for other things. When freelancing, your work schedule gets filled around the clock, including weekends.
But after an year, I have learned to organise time management much better. I'll be back to blogging soon, with both astronomy and some personal thoughts as well. Maybe here, maybe somewhere fresh.
As I complete yet another orbit around the Sun, I want to make a special birthday-wish, something that anyone could help with.
According to the World Health Organisation, about 285 million people have some degree of visual impairment. About 39 million are blind, and 246 million are visually impaired. About 90% of them live in developing countries of Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Pacific Regions, and they are 10 times more likely to go blind than those in developed countries.
Now take a step back and think! How can we help the people with vision impairments to enjoy the beauty of the Universe?
To address this much neglected area, under the framework of Universal Design of Learning (UDL), we have created “A Touch of The Universe” project. It aims to build 30 sets of tactile astronomy KITS for children with vision impairments in underdeveloped countries in Americas, Asia and Africa.
How can you help?
The project is partially funded by International Astronomical Union - Office of Astronomy for Development (OAD). But we need more support to complete the project. Please consider making a donation. Your contribution will make a much needed difference.
Bareket Observatory (Israel) - The observatory will have a live feed of images refreshing every 30 - 60 seconds starting from 19.30 UTC
Virtual Telescope (Italy) - Dr. Gianluca Masi will narrate and answer questions as he shares the minor planet’s motion through the sky beginning at 22:00 UTC
Slooh Space Camera (Canary Islands and Arizona) - Starting from 02:00 UTC (2/16), the webcast will provide views of the asteroid from observatories in the Canary Islands and in Arizona. The event will accompany real-time discussions with Slooh Space Camera’s Paul Cox, astronomer and author Bob Berman, and Prescott Observatory manager, Matt Francis.
NASA JPL (USA) - Near real-time imagery of the asteroid's flyby in Australia and Europe, weather permitting, will be streamed beginning at about 17:00 UTC
NASA MSFC (USA) - Watch a feed of the flyby from a telescope at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama starting at 02:00 UTC (2/16)
The Planetary Society (USA) - Join Planetary Society Director of Projects Bruce Betts and host of Planetary Radio, Mat Kaplan for the web stream starting from 19:50 UTC
GLORIA Project (Europe) - A number of GLORIA telescopes plan to observe the asteroid. Images will be uploaded to the website every ~5 minutes starting from 19:00 UTC
Clay Center Observatory (USA) - Rreal-time high-definition video from the Clay Center Observatory will be available from 23 UTC onwards.
Universe is too wonderful to not to share with anyone, specially with children. Unfortunately many children discover the beauty of the Universe bit too late, or some never get to enjoy it. That's why I fully support Universe Awareness (UNAWE) - a program which put its heart and soul into inspiring every child with our wonderful Universe, regardless of the social status.
As I complete yet another orbit around the Sun, I couldn't have celebrated my birthday better than with children from an orphanage in Sri Lanka, doing astronomy!
Thank you for everyone who sent in wishes and helped with the event, specially my dad and aunt for helping with cooking, and Kavindi (UNAWE-Sri Lanka), Kaminda, Gihantha, Tijitha, and Janith for helping with the activities.
teaching basic astronomy concepts to kids
tour around the Universe
not only kids, but orphanage staff enjoyed the Universe
lunch time
it's wonderful to see how kids visualize the Universe
kids version of the Universe :-)
kids with UNAWE - Sri Lanka
busy with the "Eggnauts" challenge!
teaching kids is such a rewarding experience
"Tell me and I forget. Show me and I remember. Involve me and I understand"
time to test those "Eggnauts"
it was a wonderful day
This was just a tiny effort to show the beauty of the Universe to children. We all need to play our part, continue our effort to educate the future generations, to help them to discover our Universe , to make the world a better place.
As I complete yet another orbit, I'd like to make a birthday wish - something that my friends around the world could help to make it happen!
This year will be the last opportunity in our lifetime to see a Venus Transit. What's a better way to celebrate it than going all the way to Timor-Leste, a country that only recently became fully independent, and organise several educational activities on the occasion of this rare astronomical event.
Above will become a reality thanks to Universe Awareness (UNAWE). A team of UNAWE Student Ambassadors will travel to Timor-Leste for Venus Transit to inspire the children with astronomy, and make them believe that they can be the scientists of the future!
This is where you can help!
UNAWE is looking for financial support to purchase Safe Solar Goggles, Earthballs, Planispheres, Galileoscopes, Solarscopes, and Telescopes which will be used in educational activities in Timor-Leste. Donations can be made little as from few solar goggles to couple of Galileoscopes.
People in the Horn of Africa, living under the same sky as we live, are suffering from hunger and drought. Join us on August 13 to help the famine victims of Somalia.
Ever since the ancient times human being has been staring at the stars above, wondering what they are. One of these dazzling stars is the Sun, which is closer than any other star to the Earth. Our Sun has witnessed everything happened on Earth; the formation of life, all creatures, existence of human and his eagerness for knowing and finding more about the Universe. The Sun has been a witness to every crisis on earth; happiness and misery as well as war and peace. But recently the Sun is much more displease than any other time as with every dawn it observes the same old story of poverty and starvation in North Africa; this time even wider and much more tragic. The story of the drought crisis, civil wars, and enforced immigration of Somalis to find a secure place to survive, is a remarkable conflict of men against nature and men against his own race.
Many cultural and scientific organizations and NGOs around the Globe are trying to make peace and invite people to put an end to the battle of men against nature. StarPeace believes that all of us should participate in helping of the victims. According to the news, the situation is critical, and the experts warn us that even a small delay has a great impact: “Tomorrow is Late”. StarPeace invite all the members and cooperators to hold a public stargazing night in their cities and towns on August 13 to organize a fund raising event in order to help the drought victims of Somali. Donation might be inadequate, but it may well be sufficient to provide the victims a meal.
We all hope the innocent Somali children, who are enduring a hard time in refugee camps, will soon spend their nights under the twinkling stars of the Sky without suffering from hunger and fear.
It's not usual to have professional astronomers visiting Sri Lanka, in fact the number of Sri Lankan Professional Astronomers are probably less than a dozen and most of them resides abroad except Prof. Kavan Ratnatunga, a retired research astronomer who's settled in Colombo enjoying his hobbies and serving as the President of Sri Lankan Astronomical Association. Of course whenever any of our astronomers visit Sri Lanka for holiday, I never miss the opportunity to get hold of them and organize events locally. It's not everyday you meet an astronomer, and students find it fascinating to meet and discuss astronomy with a "real" astronomer.
Other than the Sri Lankan astronomers, we have been visited time to time over the years by a foreign astronomer - Michael Snowden - who's very fond of Sri Lanka, and a long term friend of late Sir Arthur C Clarke. I met Micahel through Prof. Kavan in 2005 and ever since we have been good friends and done quite a few programs together. In his last visit in March 2010, I organized a discussion session called "Ask an Astronomer" for few high school students which turned out to be very well received. The objective of the session was to gather couple of students who are serious about pursuing higher studies in Astronomy and give them an opportunity to interact with an astronomer directly, learning, raising their questions, sharing their views...
Michael returned last month again, and as usual I organized couple of events with him. We managed to do another session on "Ask an Astronomer" with 6 high school students. The discussion started with Michael talking about Exoplanets - a much discussed topic these days and then the students got the opportunity to join the discussion raising questions and talking various aspects of Astronomy. Also another important subject discussed during the session was higher education in Astronomy! Each student talked about their field of interest in astronomy and was advised how they can achieve it, what are the available options, etc... Overall the session went well clearing some doubts, sharing more knowledge and most of all inspiring them to continue the path to higher education in Astronomy.
This was a much needed session as Sri Lanka currently is in a critical place as there are only 2 students doing higher studies in Astronomy or related fields. Although the interest in astronomy among students is high, many hesitant to continue that enthusiasm to do higher studies mainly due to lack of guidance, financial support, less awareness of opportunities, etc... Via Sri Lanka Astronomical Association, we hope to hold more of these sessions to help the students and encourage them to pursuit their dream.
Perhaps no name is better known in the global community of astronomy enthusiasts than that of John Dobson, popularizer of the widely-used Dobsonian telescope design that now bears his name. Now age 95, he has had a lifetime of outreach and activism. His determination to bring astronomy to the people was a driving force behind the creation of the sidewalk astronomy movement.
Dobson, who paved the way for astronomy outreach beyond professional facilities, was interviewed in the first episode of a new series of webcasts, "Living Legend Series" - a project of Astronomers Without Borders - on Saturday, November 13, 2010.
Cosmic Treasures is an online event giving you a unique opportunity of experiencing Universe through the Virtual Telescope at Bellatrix Observatory in Italy. You will be able to see beautiful cosmic treasures of the Universe such as galaxies, nebulae and clusters of stars in real time, with live commentary by astrophysicist Dr. Gianluca Masi. This is a free event and open to anyone. You can also chat with others online during the event, interact with the Dr. Masi in real time, or just watch and listen while exploring the Universe. Experience One People, One Sky as we share the sky together.
When the Northern Hemisphere will experience their “shortest” day while the Southern Hemisphere will celebrate their “longest” day of the year, AWB invites astronomy groups around the world to join in with the 4th Seasons Without Borders event to celebrate solstice which will occur on December 21st, 2010, officially at 23:38 UTC.
Join with AWB in December to explore the beauty of Universe and enjoy the feeling of One Sky One People.
April 2011 will again be a busy month for amateur and professional astronomers, educators and astronomy enthusiasts as Global Astronomy Month (GAM) returns for its second edition. The annual event, organized by Astronomers Without Borders, celebrates the Universe in the spirit of the International Year of Astronomy 2009 cornerstone project "100 Hours of Astronomy."
Astronomy clubs, science centers, schools, educators, and other astronomy enthusiasts worldwide are invited to reserve dates in April 2011 for public outreach, hands-on activities, observing sessions and more while sharing the enthusiasm with others across the globe during Global Astronomy Month. Everyone is invited either to join the global programs or initiate their own activities during April 2011.
This is the second edition of GAM, after its launch last year, when Astronomers Without Borders (AWB) coordinated seven global events dedicated to remote observing, fighting light pollution, world peace, observations of the sky and cultural manifestations, as well as encouraging the organization of local events.
GAM2010 Trailer
A growing list of global programs are scheduled for GAM 2011. The month kicks off with the lord of the rings on April 2/3, designated as Saturn Watch. With the planet at its closest to Earth, it's a perfect night to admire the unequaled beauty of the ringed planet. On April 9 the Global Star Party will unfold as darkness sweeps around the Earth. This is the night to set up your telescopes and share the wonders of the sky with others. From April 10 to 16 it's Lunar Week as our gaze turns toward Earth's natural satellite. Just as the Moon has captured our imagination for millennia, it never fails to fascinate with close-up views of its craters and mare. Educational and cultural events dedicated to the Moon are also planned. On April 17 we switch from night to day, dedicating ourselves to our closest star on SunDay. The month closes on a high point with a peak - of meteors. On April 21/22 get comfortable in something warm and spend the night scanning the sky for meteors caused by debris left behind by Comet Thatcher. An incredible show awaits during Lyrids Watch.
More programs are to come as GAM grows with every group of people that joins us in the celebration of the Universe. Among these are Remote Observing Programs and a Cosmic Concert.
If you need another reason to join us during Global Astronomy Month, try these:
* GAM lets your science center or astronomy club participate in an internationally recognized project; * GAM provides several events to attract visitors to your institution or astronomy club; * GAM allows you to connect with your local community, including public authorities and the media; * GAM gives you the chance to inspire young people to look up and wonder. Show your commitment to educating young people.
"There's something for everyone", says Mike Simmons, President of Astronomers Without Borders. IYA2009 showed the way to involving more people than ever," and GAM is riding that wave of excitement in the discovery of our Universe."
Join the celebration in April 2011 as Global Astronomy Month brings together thousands of passionate individuals and hundreds of organizations worldwide to share their enthusiasm in innovative new ways, connecting people through a great sense of sharing the Universe! It's a month of celebrating Astronomers Without Borders' motto - One People, One Sky!
Save the dates - April 2011 is Global Astronomy Month.
Astronomers Without Borders is dedicated to fostering understanding and goodwill across national and cultural boundaries by creating relationships through the universal appeal of astronomy. Astronomers Without Borders projects promote sharing, all through a common interest in something basic and universal - sharing the sky.
For further information please contact:
Mike Simmons President, Astronomers Without Borders Chair, GAM2011 Working Group mikes@gam-awb.org +1 818 486 7633
John Dobson is arguably one the most influential personalities in amateur astronomy in the last couple of decades. He has almost single-handedly revolutionized backyard astronomy by bringing it out to the street, making it possible for everyone to enjoy the beauty of the Universe!
As an amateur astronomer his contributions to the world of amateur astronomy are immense. He is most notable for being the promoter of a design for large, portable, low-cost Newtonian reflecting telescopes that bears his name, the Dobsonian telescope - a telescope that brought amateur astronomy to a whole new level.
On September 14 2010, John is turning 95 and here's your chance to send birthday wishes to him!
How to send the birthday messages: 1) Email your message to wishdobson95@gmail.com. 2) Leave your message as a comment to this article.
Make sure to include your name and location (city, country)
Do you have any photos taken with John Dobson? We would like to make a community album for him as well. Email your photos to wishdobson95@gmail.com please include: when and where was the photo taken.
Beginning of July 2010 concluded one of the most exciting sporting event - FIFA2010. While many football fans around the world celebrated the victories and the losing, Astronomers Without Border's National Coordinator for Iraq - Azhy Hasan came up with the idea to celebrate the World Cup with a touch of astronomy and peace - "A Match Under Starlight".
Amateur Astronomers Association of Kurdistan celebrated the event by gathering a youth group to play a football match which was followed by an observation session. Players enjoyed beautiful views of Saturn and medals for participating in the match. Azhy who organized this event took the extra effort to show the unity of other AWB member countries by displaying the national flags and playing the national anthems. You can see some unforgettable photos and a video of the event here.
Group from Iraq says "YES TO PEACE"
This wonderful event was also celebrated by UNAWE - Romania. With the collaboration of “Angela Gheorghiu” School from Adjud, Vrancea, UNAWE Romania, organized a football game with 23 children aged between 5 and 9. All the children were awarded with a "Stellar Football Player" diploma for their enthusiasm and spirit. You can see this wonderful effort in a report with photos put together by Catalina Movileanu of UNAWE - Romania here.
kids with national flags pinned to shirts playing football
Another event to celebrate the project was organized by “Rudolf Walter” foundation – Timisoara branch, the Astronomical Observatory of Timisoara, and the “Antares” astro-club of Timisoara. Kids at the “Rudolf Walther” foundation (a model institution where disadvantaged kids are educated and cared for) got to play football which was followed by 3-D projections and captivating talks. The kids got a special treat as well, Andrei Juravle – owner of astrovest.ro – donated a telescope. You can read a report of this event with photos put together by Virgiliu Pop of Romanian Space Agency here.
Virgiliu Pop kicking off the match
Many thanks to everyone who participated in this wonderful project highlighting world peace and the joy of togetherness. We hope you will join us in future events.
Credit: The beautiful poster of the project was designed by Azhy Hasan.
Planet Mars always has been an interesting celestial object throughout generations. It never fails to grasp the human curiosity. The very Red planet people used to worship, now is a target for more scientific work – possible colonizing in the future being one of them.
On 12th March 2010, a workshop was organized for about 15 schools in Colombo North and Gampaha District. The program was hosted by Astronomical Society of Dharmaloka School, conducted by Royal College Astronomical Society (RCAS) with the guidance of Sri Lanka Astronomical Association (SLAA).
The participants were divided into ten groups and given the task of building a Mars Colony. Interesting combining their little knowledge about the planet with Biology, Physics and Mathematics skills, the groups came up with various ideas and created models to express them.
After two and half hours of time, it was the time for the judges to review the models. Each team presented their models. And finally the Team 1 walked away with the first place for getting higher scores in original idea, practicality, design, and team work.
As a final note, the General Secretary of Sri Lanka Astronomical Association – Thilina Heenatigala briefed about Mars and how far have we come exploring Mars.
Some interesting moments from the workshop:
preparation
brainstorming
more discussions
hands on
presenting to judges
a model
another team presenting their model
General Secretary of SLAA; Thilina Heenatigala, addressing the crowd
It’s not everyday you get to talk to a professional astronomer and ask all those questions you have.
Recently a good astronomer friend of mine – Michael Snowden – was in Sri Lanka. Michael and I decided to spend an evening with few students who are keen on astronomy. Five students coming from various backgrounds were invited as a result.
The discussion started with Michael explaining the historical side of modern astronomy and compared how things have progressed today. Then the students got the opportunity to talk about their favorite fields in astronomy. The topics varied from Astrophysics, Modern Telescopes, and Life in the Universe to big old question – the birth of the Universe.
The session was held on the 21st of March 2010 at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel, Colombo.
Some photos from the session:
Students with Michael Snowden
Yashodara Abeykoon (high school Biology student)
Shamil Asitha Kuruppu (high school Mathematics Student)
Sheloni De Silva (high school Biology Student)
Dimuth Prasad Welivitiya (Graduate student)
Prasanna Deshapriya (undregraduate freshman)
Michael Snowden and Thilina Heenatigala with the students
March 20th 2010 celebrated the 4th International Sidewalk Astronomy Night. Sri Lanka joined the celebration for the 2nd time.
Royal College Astronomical Society(RCAS) brought two telescopes to the Galle Face Green on the night of 20th. Interestingly same day there was a big concert at the venue which become handy for the sidewalk session.
The public sidewalk session went on for two hours under heavy light pollution – specially from the concert. But with good music and food, people enjoyed beautiful views of Moon and Saturn.
Some photos from the event:
and finally the members of RCAS enjoying some ice cream!
