The Hindu : New Delhi News : Gearing up for Equinox Day

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Wednesday, Mar 19, 2008
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New Delhi

Gearing up for Equinox Day

Madhur Tankha

— Photo: Shiv Kumar Pushpakar

TALKING SCIENCE: The historic Jantar Mantar in New Delhi where a three-hour class on scientific facts will be held this Thursday.

NEW DELHI: This coming Thursday will be of special significance to amateur astronomers on account of Equinox Day that comes twice in a year.

On that day, C.V. Devgan of Science Popularisation Association for Communicators and Educators’ will conduct a three-hour class on scientific facts about the event and the relevance of Masonic instruments to a number of school children and celestial lovers at the ancient Jantar Mantar in New Delhi. The medieval monument will be brought alive as the participants will see the sun’s rays falling on the Masonic instruments and then get an opportunity to measure the readings of the sun’s position in the sky.

“Without use of high-tech instruments and compass, the participants will be able to find out the latitude of Delhi,” says Mr. Devgan.

According to Nehru Planetarium Director N. Rathnasree, Equinox Day is the time when the sun in its “Uttarayan” movement crosses the Equator. “The sun rises exactly due east and sets exactly due west as seen from anywhere on earth. If we are on the Equator, we would see shadows disappear completely at solar noon time indicating the moment when the sun shines exactly perpendicular at the Equator.” Ms. Rathnasree says those equipped with digital cameras with LCD screens would be able to capture the sunrise or sunset against the historic monuments in Delhi.

Pointing out that all historic monuments in the country have alignments with the cardinal directions North, South, East and West, the Nehru Planetarium Director says some monuments, if they do not have alignments like the gates of the Sanchi Stupa, might yet have some other astronomical alignments.

“Photographs of sunrise or sunset taken on Equinox Day that portray the relative alignments of historic monuments would therefore be of value for historians and archeo-astronomers. Those who have clicked pictures on Thursday can send their pictures to nehruplanetarium@gmail.com,” she adds.

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