Blogs

“The Road to Astronomy”

The Theoretical and practical Astronomy workshop

and

Observation Astronomical Night Camp

(12 Hour basic Astronomy Certificate Course)

The Next Camp at St. Joseph’s College Anuradhapura – June 2025

Image caption: Photo of the last "Road to Astronomy" Camp held in Galenbindunawewa Central College.

Ø  Date – 21^st -22^nd June 2025

Ø  Organize by - Astronomical Society, St Joseph’s College Anuradhapura

Ø  Conduct by - Old Anandian Astronomical Association Under the concept of

Astronomy from Village to Village “.ñka .ug ;drld úoHdj”

Ø  Title of the course – “The Road to Astronomy”

Ø  Official Partners

§  Official Telescope Partner – TelescopeLK

§  Official Media Partner – Pixelart Productions (Pvt) Ltd

§  Official Astronomy social media partner – SL Astro Academy

Agenda/ Program plan

(Note - This order can be changed according to the sky conditions)

21^st June 2025 (Saturday)

Ø  5.30pm-6.30pm – Opening ceremony

Ø  6.30pm-7.45pm – Opening (main) lecture (By, Dr.Sithum Gunarathne)

§  Main topics to be discussed during the lecture.

-          History of Astronomy

-          What is Sky (Scientific explanation about the sky and sky objects)

-          Solar System (Composition)

-          Beyond he Solar System - Introduction to Universe (Stars,Galaxies, galaxy Clusters)

-          our universal address

Ø  7.45pm-8.45pm – Diner

Ø  8.45pm- 9.00ppm – Allocate the students into study groups for observation sessions

          and group discussions

(Divide into the 5 main study groups according to age of the students and allocate demonstrators from OAAA to each study group)

Ø  9.00pm-11.30pm - Main observation, group discussion and Telescope session-1

§  Main observations to be done during the session.

Topics to be discussed during observation and group discussion session -1

·       General topics to be discussed during this session

-          How to prepare for sky observations

-          Scientific explanation about sky and practical idea about the sky

-          Relationship between age, color, & temperature of stars

-          Introduction and define constellations

-          Movements of the constellations, why the apparent the size and the shape of constellations not change, can it change in future?

-          What is light year and explain about how old the light of sky objects

-          Atmosphere of the Earth

-          Why are stars/ sky objects blinking.

-          Explanation about major eight Planets and their major moons

-          Correct methods to differentiate planets from stars. 

-          How to measure distance between stars using hand

-          Asteroids, Comets, Meteoroids, and Meteor showers.

·       Explain about Deep sky objects and observation of deep sky objects

-          What is meant by Deep Sky Objects and what are Deep Sky Objects

-          What is meant by messier objects and Charles Messier

-          Star clusters – Observation of M6, M7 & M13

-          Galaxies - Observation of Andromeda (M31) & Milky Way

-          Nebulas

·       Telescope session – Part 1 (20 minutes for each group)

Topics to be discussed.

-          Introduction of telescopes

-          History of telescopes

-          Functions of the telescopes

-          How to use telescopes

-          Difficulties when using ground telescopes.

-          How we can overcome those difficulties

-          Different types of telescopes

Ø  11.30pm-12.00 pm- coffee Break, Entertainments and allocate the students into

          Activity groups (8 - Activity groups)

Prepare 8 groups by randomized grouping of students in all age groups (better to have performed randomized groups before starting the program)

22^nd June 2025 (Sunday)

Ø  12.00am- 01.15am - Group Activity 1

-          Astro puzzle (Scientific discussion based interactive group activity)

Ø  01.00am-01.30am – Reallocate he students into study groups for observation sessions,

           group discussions and the Telescope session part 2

(Main 5 study groups according to age of the students and allocate demonstrators from OAAA to each study group)

Ø  01.30am -04.00am– Main observation and group discussion session -2 and

           Telescope session 2

Main observations to be done during this session.

Topics to be discussed during observations and group discussion session -2

·       Moon observation and Discussion about Moon

-          What is the moon?

-          The origin of the moon

-          Composition of the moon

-          Atmosphere of the moon

-          Movements of the moon (Rotation and Revolution)

-          Why we can observe only one side of the moon from earth

-          Main craters, basons and seas in the moon

-          Eclipse (moon and solar eclipse)

-          History of main space explorations to moon (part of rocketry history)

·       Observation of Saturn and Discussion about Saturn

-          In detail explanation about Saturn and Saturn belts

-          Moons of Saturn (Titan)

·       Observation of Venus and Discussion about Venus

-          Detail Explanation of Venus

·       Other Topics to be discussed and revised during this session

-          Detail Explanation of Jupiter and Jupiter moons

-          Detail Explanation of Mars and moons of Mars

-          Correct methods to differentiate planets from stars. 

-          Life cycle of a star and explain about sun.

-          Further explanation about deep sky objects

-          Origin of life (brief explanation) - Main Conditions required to origin life as earth.

·       Sky map and Celestial Sphere (Optional)

-          Introduction of Star Map

-          Practical use of star map

-          How to measure distance between stars using hand

·       Constellation mapping (Optional) 

·      Telescope session part 2- Hands-on skills of operating Optical Telescopes

(20 minutes for each group)

Activities planned for this session

-          Practical use of telescopes by each study group

(Align the telescope to moon or to distant object)

Ø  04.00am-04.15am – 15-minute interval (coffee break) and allocate into Activity groups

           again (Previous 8 activity Groups)

Ø  04.15am-5.30am – Group Activity 2, Part 1 - Making Egg Rocket

(by 8 groups, one or 2 rockets from each group)

-          Explain about rockets and methods of rocket landing

-          Making Egg Rockets

Ø  05.00am-05.30am- Group activity 2, part 2 - Explanation about the rockets they made

(Note – when the situations with lack of time, this session can be done as a group activity-based viva during rocket making. Viva marks will be allocated to each group as a part of group activity 2)

Ø  05.30-5.50 am- Group Activity 3 – Astro quiz (Final examination)

Ø  5.50-6.00am – Prepare for Landing of egg rocket

Ø  6.00am-6.30am – Landing of egg rocket)

Ø  6.20-6.50am – Group Activity 2, part 3 - Landing of Egg rocket

Ø  06.30-7.00am – Group photo

Ø  07.00-8.00 am – Special Session for Sun Observation – The “Unseen Sun” Event

§  Observation of the real appearance of the Sun through Coronado Telescope

Ø 8.00 am – End of the course

Ø  After 8.00am

-          Closing ceremony

-          OAAA feedback and feedback from students, parents and teachers

-          Prize giving

Group Structure

§  Study groups

-          Allocate Similar age /grade students into a group

-          Total 5 groups

§  Activity groups

-          Each one of these groups should have students of all ages (mix the students in all ages/grades)

-          Total 8 groups

Our Team members

§  Dr.Sithum Gunarathne (Course Director)

§  Mr.Amila Karunarathne

§  Mr.Hasantha Gulawita

§  Mr.Anuda Wewalage

§  Mr.Sasmith Keerthirathne

§  Mr. Ruvin Kasthriarachchi

§  Mr.Tharusha Randitha

§  Mr.Lakiru Wanasinghe

§  Mr.Rushanka Werathunga

§  Mr.Nethuka Nisaltha

Prepared by,

Dr. Sithum Gunarathne

(Course Director)

President - Old Anandians’ Astronomical Association