"How do we Study the Atmospheres of Planets"-Dr Tilak Hewagama

There will be a visiting astronomer lecture on the topic of "How do we Study the Atmospheres of Planets" by Dr Tilak Hewagama - NASA/GSFC University of Maryland. The lecture will be delivered tomorrow (Thursday the 03rd November 2011) at 11.00 am University of Moratuwa, and it will be hosted by IEEE Student branch of University of Moratuwa.  Abstract  Humans have relied on their keen sense of sight in exploring their environment. The basic properties of light, color and intensity, convey a wealth of information about the source and intervening media, and remains at the core of modern astronomy. We will discuss how visible and...

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Star Party 2011, Kandy- Sri Lanka

Star Party 2011 will be held from 6.00 p.m. onwards on  21st of October 2011, at the University of Peradeniya, Kandy ,Sri Lanka and this will go for 12 hours, including different sessions of night sky observation.Basically there will be 2 segments themed as competition and workshop where the amateur students can both evaluate their talent and improve their know-how on practical astronomy. The competition is expected to be the focus of many students, as everybody will try their best to grab the champions trophy and claim for the honor of 'Best Astronomy Team' of the country.  Moreover there will be an online quiz as well allowing...

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Back to blogging and now it's the time for some Draconids

Yeah, I'm back into blogging after ages, and I think I'd fancy blogging in this new platform which I'm using for the first time. This is a moment I achieved despite quite a many stuff that came across my way during recent months. Finally I'm done with my University exams and although it's already been few weeks since the end of the exams, it's just now I'm starting to scribble something, which was mostly due to my new-found passion of traveling. Chances were more that I had found myself engaged in some kind of work, either in University or outside, for my constant involvements with AIESEC and...

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Star Quest 2011 Organized by Mathematical & Astronomical Society, University of Colombo

Astronomy has been nourishing since as early as Babylonian, Egyptian and Greek civilizations and today it has yielded a great portion of intellect enabling the humans to reach beyond their own horizons far beyond what anybody could possibly imagine. In presence it’s a foreseen attempt that all the countries trying to make their way ahead in the space science, whereas there’s no exception in Sri Lanka as well. In such a context, the Mathematical & Astronomical Society based in University of Colombo can be introduced as an alliance of such likeminded students, bonded together in the ties of science. The eminent Sri Lankan astronomers Professor...

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Astronomy Camp - March 2011 at University of Colombo

I'm now gonna blog about an event that we had in our University almost 2 months back. I'm really sorry guys for dragging this such longer due to the busy schedule I've been undergoing last few months due to various reasons. Hope you don't mind me sharing in so late. Anyway here it is.. This is the annual astronomy camp that we organize for undergraduates in the University itself, This is generally aimed at getting amateurs more interested in astronomy by working along with a practical observation related path while recruiting enthusiasts as members for the society at the same time. Of course just anyone in the University can take part here in...

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Astronomy Camp at AIS 2011

Well, this is the first blog post that I'm publishing after 2 months. I'm really sorry about the absence of updates and news as i was really busy with University academics and AIESEC work. This post is about the Astronomy camp that we conducted for the Asian International School (AIS) last 18th of March. In fact we had conducted an astronomy camp for them previously as well, back in 2009 during the International Year of Astronomy and this was the appearance of Old Anandian Astronomical Association in AIS premises for the second time, despite there were some failed attempts to have a camp in 2010. I felt great that we had a Go this time....

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Remembering Columbia STS-107, 8 Years since the LOST

It completed 8 years to the loss of Columbia spacecraft and its crew yesterday. The Columbia STS-107 mission started on 16th January 2003, with a plan for 16 days of experimentation related to micro-gravity. On its re-entry to the Earth, on 1st of February 2003 the spacecraft failed to land safely and was lost, due to a defect occurred on its left wing during the launching phase. The Columbia crew composed of 7 astronauts headed by the commander Rick Husband, and all of them were thus lost 16 minutes prior to the scheduled landing at Kennedy Space Center. Image Credit : NASA The final crew of Columbia STS-107 Rick Husband - Commander William...

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Happy New Year to you and all the best for you in 2011 & beyond

It's 2011, at the moment here in Sri Lanka, although these are few countries still waiting to join us in 2011, which will of course take place in the next couple of hours. I wish you all the best in 2011 and may all your dreams come true in 2011 and beyond. Let's hope there will be more adventures in terms of astronomical expeditions and explorations. Of course now we know Curiosity is scheduled to be launched in late this year, for advanced studies on Martian habitability. I think this decade will be crucial for the ambitions in later years. In the meantime we are very close to the Gianluca's January Stars coming up on the 3rd evening,...

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