What makes lunar eclipses attention-grabbing and price observing? “There’s the whole spectacle itself,” says Obuli Chandran, founding father of Mango Education. “The moon that falls in the earth’s shadow acquires a blood red or copper red colour, which is quite a sight to watch, and the causes for the shift in colour have kept scientists guessing.”
Visual enchantment apart, there are different makes use of to finding out lunar eclipses, one in every of them being that astronomers are higher in a position to calculate the velocity at which the moon traverses through orbit. Long entrenched in the world of science and astronomy, this phenomenon has been termed positional astronomy. Obuli, nonetheless, prefers to name it a recreation of shadows, this entire recreation of planetary hide-and-seek.
As stargazers put together for one more lunar eclipse — a rarer prevalence than photo voltaic eclipses — this weekend, Mango Education is organising an occasion whereby the common public can witness the phenomenon in real-time through a telescope, as a result of, as Obuli believes, the research of such phenomena needn’t be the sole area of scientists and astronomers.
The eclipse is predicted to start at 10pm immediately
| Photo Credit:
Obuli Chandran & Akshay Ok Sathish
While the eclipse is predicted to start at 10pm on September 7, the occasion will kick off two hours prior, with informational periods lined up in order that contributors stay well-informed forward of the eclipse. “A short documentary on the moon will be screened at the museum theatre, followed by a spherical projection of the moon, where participants can learn more about craters on the moon. Alongside these will be various stalls set up by students displaying educational material about the moon,” Obuli added.
Founded in 2019, Mango Education has been holding science-based workshops aimed at youngsters. This time, nonetheless, the occasion is aimed at the common public, and because of this, Obuli has organized for round 5 telescopes. “This will give participants a hands-on experience of something they may have studied theoretically in their classrooms,” he provides.
Another object of research can be the telescope, the instrument that permits this shut viewing of an object far-off in orbit
| Photo Credit:
Obuli Chandran
Just as vital as studying to watch a lunar eclipse is realizing the distinction between an eclipse and a half moon, since they resemble one another to the bare eye. “But an eclipsed half moon is markedly different from a regular half moon, so the event will also make this clearer to the participants,” Obuli says.
Eclipses have for hundreds of years held cultural significance, and there are any variety of myths surrounding this. Part of the function of the workshop can be to distinguish fable from science. An illustration by a group of scholars will work on dispelling lots of the superstitions surrounding lunar eclipses, amongst them the risks of consuming meals and venturing open air throughout the interval of the eclipse. “However, the approach will not be one of blind rejection of such practices,” Obuli says, including, “but a detailed explanation through scientific reasoning why they aren’t true.”
Holding an occasion like this acquires significance in a world that’s largely hooked on to display shows of assorted sizes. “People have forgotten to look at the sky. An event like this presents a wonderful opportunity not only to appreciate the spectacle and the science that animates this, but also to develop an understanding of our place in the cosmos,” Obuli provides.
Another object of research can be the telescope, the instrument that permits this shut viewing of an object far-off in orbit, and the science behind the optics that make this doable.
Photographers who want to seize the occasion are additionally inspired to use.
| Photo Credit:
Obuli Chandran
Photographers who want to seize the occasion are additionally inspired to use. The crew at the museum will present help with mounting their gear, be it a DSLR or cellphone digicam, and create sequential photos capturing varied phases of the eclipse, Obuli provides.
The occasion can be held on the intervening night time of September 7 and eight, at the newly constructed PSG-GRD Museum of Science and Technology in Neelambur, which is presently being managed by Mango Education. Participants can be charged a charge of ₹200 for entry into the museum, and the occasion can be held from 8pm to 2am. For registrations, contact: 9952243541.
A sight to behold
Lunar eclipses occur on a full moon day when the moon drifts into Earth’s shadow. A partial lunar eclipse is when the moon is simply partially hidden, whereas in a complete lunar eclipse, the moon fully submerges into Earth’s shadow turning pink in color.
