The Hindu : New Delhi News : Scientific aspects of Equinox Day highlighted at Jantar Mantar

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Scientific aspects of Equinox Day highlighted at Jantar Mantar

Staff Reporter

Amateur astronomers converge at the ancient observatory

- Photo: S. Subramanium

A Close look: Visitors at the Jantar Mantar observatory in New Delhi on Equinox Day on Thursday. Equinox marks the precise moment that spring begins in the Northern Hemisphere and autumn in the Southern Hemisphere. At this global moment, night and day are of equal length .

NEW DELHI: A number of amateur astronomers and inquisitive students converged at the ancient Jantar Mantar here on Thursday on the occasion of Equinox Day.

Science Popularisation Association for Communicators and Educators’ C. V. Devgan conducted a class on the scientific aspects of Equinox Day and the significance of Masonic instruments in life today.

Equator

Without the use of high-tech instruments and compass the participants tried to read the latitude of Delhi in the sky.

“On Equinox Day the Sun is positioned directly over the Equator and on Thursday it was at 11-08 a.m. (Indian Standard Time). Students from Amity International and Indian Institute of Technology and celestial lovers recorded the Capital’s latitude at 29 degrees. Actually the Capital’s latitude is 28.5 degrees. But still they succeeded in learning how they could find the position of celestial objects in the sky at the observatory,” he observed.

During the three-hour class, Mr. Devgan spoke about the historic perspective of the observatory. “If lovers of astronomy are meticulous then they can still find out the exact position of the Sun and the Moon in the sky from Jantar Mantar. The observatory was built by Sawai Jai Singh II for the common man as during his time telescope was considered to be a luxury item. Even now the observatory is ideal for someone who has a basic understanding of the basics of astronomy,” said Mr. Devgan.

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