Get set for star gazing that will save the skies

Light pollution is destroying Delhi's splendid night sights. A never before workshop takes on the cause by getting you all starry-eyed

Light pollution is destroying Delhi's splendid night sights. A never before workshop takes on the cause by getting you all starry-eyed

When the skies up there are dark and hazy, there's no option but to track taare zameen par. Astronomical agencies are disappointed, and so, there's going to be some interesting twinkle talk in town. The workshop's called The Great Indian Star Count, and it hopes to help people clear the capital's eyes of light pollution.
What you need: a special observatory kit, an active conscience, and clear vision.u00a0

Sky-lights
Part of an initiative called Project Dark Skies by SPACE, an organisation committed to raising astronomical awareness, the event is an effort to bring back the charm of unpolluted star-filled skies back to the present generation. It is a dedicated campaign for better use of lighting and other illumination devices used in our day-to-day lives, which will lead to efficient use of electricity and saving of electrical energy which eventually leads to less load on our natural fuel reserves. "It's like ek teer se do nishane. We're giving a kick to people, and encouraging them to be eco-conscious," says Shikha Chanana, coordinator. The organisers say light pollution due to artificial illumination kills natural beauty and employs extraneous energy, too. "Light in the wrong place at the wrong time can be intrusive," sums up Shikha.

Stars and the city
"Have you ever wondered where all the stars have gone? Milky Way, the galaxy, is just a name in the textbooks, students don't even realize that its out there to be seen with naked eyes. Twinkle-twinkle is only a distant rhyme now. Only when they go to a dark, virgin holiday destination will they realise the harm that light pollution causes," explains CV Devgan, director, SPACE. "Star-gazing is never the same on TV. A live experience is bound to make people realise the consequences of what we call light trespassing. For example, I'm your neighbour, and I use chandeliers that shine into your private space. It's not only blinding and superfluous, but intrusive, too," he elaborates, stressing how it affects the lives of the nocturnal animals, disturbs their biological clock and leads to unnecessary depletion of precious resources.

The tools to bring about this basic, conscientious change: A special observatory kit that SPACE will provide you with, or you can create on your own. Go, get star-struck.

DIY star gazing kit

Things required: Cardboard tube, writing paper, small torch, pencil

Procedure:
>>Find the darkest spot in your house roof or backyard. Try to block as much light as possible from the streetlights.
>>Take your cardboard tube and hold it up to one eye. Count the stars you see. Don't move the tube while you're counting.
>>Note down the number of stars you saw on the sheet in the first box.
>>Look at another part of the sky with tube and count the number of stars you see. Record this number on line two.
>>Look at eight more parts of the sky and record your data on the sheet.
>>Take the average count of these 10 trials by adding all the trial counts and divide these by 10.
>>Multiply the average count by 345* to get an estimate of the number of stars that can be seen from your location
>>Make sure that you don't look at the same place in sky again and again. Choose the area randomly.

The Great Indian Star Count
Where: Various venues
When: September 11-21; registrations are on
Ring for observatory kits and day-wise venue schedule: Shikha Chanana on 9990077930
Log on to: www.projectdarkskies.org