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In pursuit of knowledge on astronomy

Staff Reporter

BHUBANESWAR: They come in groups and meet once in every month here. But neither their ages match nor do their professions.

Welcome to Samanta Chandrasekhar Amateur Astronomers' Association (SCAAA), where members satisfy their inquisitiveness about heavenly

bodies and science associated with it. With a membership of more than 700, SCAAA has been consistently making efforts to stay like a dedicated group in their pursuit of wisdom on astronomy.

"Sometime, attendance touches 75 and sometime it comes down to even five. But members come and discuss issues about planetary world," Golak Bihari Pradhan, joint secretary of SCAAA, said. The members of SCAAA are from different walks of life. They include scientists, retired government officials, school students, amateur astronomers, school and college teachers and general public.

When any important celestial events such as solar eclipse, meteor shower or discovery of new plants take place, SCAAA becomes extra alert to make people aware about the event and science behind the phenomena.

Intellectual inputs

The intellectual inputs for the discussion come from scientists of Institute of Physics, Regional Science Centre or erstwhile Regional Research Laboratory and Utkal University.

S. Srivastav, a member and scientist from Institute of Physics said, "science is advance very fast and space is the next frontier. Astronomy or astrophysics is subject, which enriches people's intellectual sphere."

Samia, who is research scholar from Kerala and pursuing cosmology here, said she came here to know about latest trend and development on astronomy and astrophysics front.

Similarly, octogenarian Prasanna Mishra, a retired scientists from Defence Research and Development Organisation, has still inquisitiveness about the planetary science and is fond of sharing his knowledge with younger members.

The SCAAA also makes visit to rural schools to present slide shows on astronomy and celestial events.

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