The Cosmic Chronicle #5
Kolkata residents, join our AstroTour in March for stargazing and exploration fun—sign up now!
Hi ,
You might have noticed that I didn’t send out a newsletter last week. Unfortunately, some work got me bogged down, eating into my schedule. But don’t worry—this week’s newsletter is here!
First of all, I want to give you good news! But it’s only for residents of Kolkata. As you might know, I’m a member of the Sky Watcher’s Association, Kolkata. This association has been nurturing amateur, hobbyist and professional astronomers since the 70’s.
Last year, we launched an initiative to expose beginner enthusiasts to skywatching: Astrotour. This is a three-night camp in a dark sky site where we’ll teach beginners how to operate telescopes, how to find their way in the sky, tips for observations, and more. There will be classes, workshops, sightseeing, and, of course, stargazing.
This is our third edition of Astrotour, which will be held from 1 to 3 March. Seats are limited, so book now!
Join us in our next AstroTour and enjoy 👇🏻
🔸the wonders of the night sky ✨
🔸solar observation🌞
🔸hands-on-activities🪧
🔸telescope handling opportunities🔭
🔸beach walks🏖️
🔸sight seeing 🏞️
and a comfort stay away from the bustles of ciy life ✨🧳🛤️⛱️Click the picture to view full poster
AstroTour Date: 01.03.2025 - 03.03.2025
Venue: Chandipur
Last Date of Registration: 08.02.2025
HURRY UP AND REGISTER in this link :
https://forms.gle/2F175kLwz86kgFF58Payment details will be sent via e mail ONLY AFTER REGISTRATION
Charges include travel cost
(Howrah to Balasore via Vande Bharat Express ; Balasore to Howrah via Shatabdi Express),
resort stay, food( breakfast, lunch, snacks, dinner), sky watching activities and local sightseeing.We welcome solo travellers, partners, groups, families to join us and be a part of this stellar adventure.
Interested participants are requested to fill up the registration form as soon as possible because SEATS ARE LIMITED !
This month in Astronomy
February is a tranquil month, with not many interesting things happening. Some notable events are:
Feb 12: The full moon, also known as the “Snow moon.”
Feb 16: Venus reaches its greatest brightness in the evening sky
What to watch this week
Like the week before, the four planets, Saturn, Venus, Jupiter, and Mars, are still visible. You might even see Uranus and Neptune if you have a dark sky. However, Saturn is slowly dipping into the west horizon after sunset. It’s already pretty low after sunset, and by the time the sun’s glow clears out, it might be too low to see, especially if you’re surrounded by buildings, like me. So, this week and the following week is probably your last chance to observe Saturn before it disappears into the morning sky.
Astronomy News
You might remember the Asteroid Bennu. In 2020, it was in the headlines as the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft touched down on Bennu and collected samples from it. The spacecraft returned to Earth in 2023, and scientists have been studying the samples.
NASA announced two teams' findings at a press conference on Jan. 29. The samples reveal that Bennu held a wealth of amino acids, including 14 of the 20 that make up biological proteins—the “building block of life.” Their existence heavily strengthens the theory that asteroids such as Bennu delivered such materials to Earth.
Scientists also discovered clays and brines, substances that only occur with the slow evaporation of water. This is another step towards understanding the history of water in our solar system and the underplay between life and water.
Asteroids are like little time windows into the solar system's past. Unlike planets, they are untouched by weather, water, or erosion, preserving the solar system's early history. Thus, the sample from Bennu provides a fascinating insight into how life-forming materials came about.
That’s all for this week. See you again next week.