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About Karachi Astronomy

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So far Karachi Astronomy has created 38 blog entries.

Mud Volcano Star Party

2021-01-15T05:20:57+00:00

Our search for the perfect location around Karachi made us travel again; towards the west. New moon's phase coinciding with the weekend of 9th and 10th October 2010 was chosen for the event. We had learnt many lessons from our previous astro trips. But 'never a dull moment' did it to us. We started well but got late in making it to the proposed site. Hurried last minute search for the perfect observing site, resulted in deployment in the darkness. The first planned session which had involved observing and snapping the crescent Moon next to Venus slipped away from us. But [...]

Mud Volcano Star Party2021-01-15T05:20:57+00:00

Walk & TalkWalk & Talk Astronomy Session 18/9 @ PAF Museum – Impressions of a First Time Visitor Astronomy Session 18/9 @ PAF Museum – Impressions of a First Time Visitor

2021-01-08T12:35:50+00:00

Call them social gatherings, sky parties, or public astronomy sessions… One of the grand advantages of being a part of the KaAS team is that you get an invitation to help arrange any such events in advance. The gatherings themselves take place not just in Karachi, but also at dark sky regions in the vicinity of Karachi, and are held very frequently. Days, sometimes weeks of planning is put in to ensure that everything is in order for the big day. Many of the KaAS members choose to volunteer and bring their telescopes along for public sessions. Some help set up [...]

Walk & TalkWalk & Talk Astronomy Session 18/9 @ PAF Museum – Impressions of a First Time Visitor Astronomy Session 18/9 @ PAF Museum – Impressions of a First Time Visitor2021-01-08T12:35:50+00:00

Isn’t That Crescent Too Fat?

2021-01-08T04:24:32+00:00

You bet it is not! Unfortunately, almost every year many of our people are thrown into doubts about the Hijri date when they first see the lunar crescent and find it "too thick" and staying above the horizon for "too long", even though both of these factors do not have a fixed relationship with the date of the lunar calendar. This is because of many factors. Without getting technical, I'll try to explain two of the more important aspects which determine how thin the Moon of the first can be. The tilt of the crescent (or put another way, the direction of the [...]

Isn’t That Crescent Too Fat?2021-01-08T04:24:32+00:00

Space Sciences Education in Pakistan

2021-01-08T11:58:44+00:00

The following universities in Pakistan offer degrees in astronomy: Department of Space Science, University of Punjab. Headed by Dr. Muhammad Ali, the department owns the following telescopes: 14" GPS LX200 Meade SCT 6" Grubb achromatic refractor The 14" telescope is used very rarely, the reason being cited as its hand-controller which has developed some issues. Many students at the department have never seen the instrument. The 6" is a classic, manufactured in the early part of the the twentieth century. It is housed in an observatory which unfortunately remains permanently locked and nobody is allowed to enter. Institute of Space and Planetary Sciences (ISPA), University [...]

Space Sciences Education in Pakistan2021-01-08T11:58:44+00:00

Of New Moons And Eclipses

2021-01-08T12:24:57+00:00

"If you want to test your memory, try to recall what you were worrying about one year ago today." - E. Joseph Cossman   According to this criterion, my memory wouldn't have rated good if today were yesterday or tomorrow. But today is today, and one year ago, I was worrying about observing and photographing the partial solar eclipse of 22nd July 2009.     A New Moon does not always bring a solar eclipse, but it does bring photography opportunities nevertheless. You read it right. Photographing a "new" Moon, although very challenging, is doable, and a record was set on 14th April 2010: the extremely [...]

Of New Moons And Eclipses2021-01-08T12:24:57+00:00

FAQs About Telescope Mirror Making in Pakistan

2021-01-08T11:57:04+00:00

© 2012 Zain Ahmed Frequently Asked Questions About Telescope Mirror Making in Pakistan 1. I'm very interested in making a telescope mirror. Is it possible? If yes, how is it done? Grinding a telescope mirror with nothing but your bare hands is not only possible, it has been done in Pakistan. Some of the local ATMs that I know are Irshad sahab and Ali sahab in Lahore, Mehmood Hassan bhai in Peshawar/Islamabad, Asad Mehmood in Okara and Jalaluddin in Karachi. The process is extremely simple. You can see detailed explanations along with the list of materials you'll need here if you use the tile tool [...]

FAQs About Telescope Mirror Making in Pakistan2021-01-08T11:57:04+00:00

The “Propeller” in Messier 13

2021-01-08T11:34:25+00:00

Maybe it's an area of reduced stellar population within the globular, or perhaps thin dust lanes slightly masking our view. Whatever it is, the dark propeller or Y-shaped feature in the Hercules Globular Cluster is real. When I saw it the first time with Khalid sahab's 18" at Lake Kalri in February 2010, it was hit-me-on-the-head obvious. Although it is said that the feature is easier to observe with smaller apertures than with larger ones, I've yet to see it with the 10" LX200. Give it a try and see for yourself. Here's a shot of M13 by Hunter Wilson. Another [...]

The “Propeller” in Messier 132021-01-08T11:34:25+00:00

The Day the Moon Stood Still

2021-01-08T11:33:00+00:00

On June 30, 1973, the Concorde prototype (dubbed Concorde 001) made a journey over northern Africa which set records yet to be broken. On that day, it raced the Moon's umbral shadow during the second longest total solar eclipse of the last century. Each of the flight's participants accumulated an amazing 74 minutes of shadow time. Don Connolly made this painting of Concorde 001 emerging from umbral darkness.  It depicts the eclipse as if photographed by a 35mm camera with a 1000mm lens from about 3000m below the aircraft. The painting — Racing the Moon — won first prize in the commercial category of the Aviation Week & Space Technology/American Society [...]

The Day the Moon Stood Still2021-01-08T11:33:00+00:00
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