Solar Eclipse

An eclipse is one of the wonderful celestial events, it shows nature's miracle. The Solar Eclipse is one of them. It helps us to study various astronomical and celestial phenomena. We use each eclipse to train and educate youth and students.

We have observed

Among several eclipses there have been 3 Solar eclipse which were visible from Vadodara. (1) )01/08/2008 (PSE) (2) 22/07/2009 (TSE) and (3)15/01/2010 (PSE). The event of 15/1/2010 was on the occasion of Makar Sankranit, the biggest kite festival where more than 1 million Barodian were on the terrace which help to spread the phenomena and abolish superstition tremendously.

TSE : one of the Biggest events

We all have enjoyed mega event of TSE at Urmischool, Vadodara with approximately 3000 students and 2500 parents and the general public on 22nd July in early morning. We started the event by lighting candles by the 1000 students with chanting of spell Gayatri Mantra (the best scientific prayer of The Sun as per Indian Mythology given by sages). Due to rain clouds we could see the partial phase of sun from 6:30 to 6:32 through transparent clouds. But totality gave us a Divine vision-spectacle as the darkness was coming by reflecting and passing through rainy cloud. It was marvellous. A crowd of more than 6000 welcomed the totality by proclaming victory in the name of Sun. Simultaneously we had arranged a breakfast which helped us to eliminating the superstitions that one should not eat during eclipse time. A group of 100 children also performing some scientific experiments at that time.

Massive Infrastructure

We used 7 telescopes (Celestron, Meade and similar) with solar filter, 3 giant screenswith LCD projection, two live projection systems, live Internet connectivity, a communication system of 5000 watt capacity, multimedia with stellarium, question and answer session with scientists and astronomers from all over India.

Global live feed

Astronomers, students from 10 country like Germany, Poland and France also shared their ideas with the public during these mega events.

National Media

More than 50 reporters, editors, video photographers from (1) all leading TV channels like DD News (with O.B. van for live telecast ), Star News, India TV, Sahara Samay, Aajtak, IBN7, NDTV, (2) all leading newspapers like Divyabhaskar group, Gujarat Samachar, Sandesh, Loksatta and the Indian Express Group, Times of India group, Gujarat Mitra, (3) All local TV channels, (4) all FM Radios have enjoyed the event through the eye of space science which -after the event- was deliver to millions of Indians by them.

Prominent Guests

Some governemnt officials, like the Principal Secretary of the Government of Gujarat, Dy. Mayor of VMC, corporates, amateur astronomers, scientists, teachers, planetarium people and professors also took part.

Biggest research work

As mention above approximately 100 students performed experiments as per available infrastructures from 20/07/2009 to 23/07/2009 during 6 to 7:20 am under my guidance.