This story is from November 17, 2017

Mumbaikars turn hobby astronomers this season

With the winter set to begin, city folk are gearing up for a celestial wonder in the night skies.
Mumbaikars turn hobby astronomers this season
Groups of Mumbaikars are going stargazing on the outskirts of Mumbai this season
There’s already a nip in the air in Mumbai and winter is coming up soon. But this time around, don’t just reach for the steaming hot mug of coffee and snuggle deeper under the covers. Instead, do what a group of folks in the city are taking up — and that’s stargazing. More astronomy lovers are heading out to the outskirts on a weekend to do this in the early hours and at night.
And it’s ‘breathtaking’. During this season, the skies play host to a clear display of shimmering stars and other celestial bodies. Pitch a tent here, lie down and laze as you gaze upwards. Or, just hold hands with someone special under this canopy. Tempting? Yes, say a whole bunch of Mumbaikars.
Why winter is apt to go stargazing

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Star trails at Vaitarna

From students to homemakers, astronomy hobby lovers and young professionals — the city is seeing a surge in stargazers. Affirms Milind Kale, founder of an organisation of amateur astronomers. “The number of these groups has increased manifold and many are turning into serious amateur astronomers. Earlier, people did this for fun or to tick it off their travel bucket list, but now they are making time to catch specific observations. For instance, in summer, you had groups trying to see the Messier Marathon along with midnight stargazers, who camped out in groups to see clusters of galaxies in Leo, Virgo and Sagittarius.”
He says it gets even better in November and December. “Nowadays, nightfall is early, so observations of the sky starts at even 7 pm. Conditions are also better for viewing as dew helps dust to settle early, cleaning up the atmosphere. From evening, you get a combination of deep-sky objects, including galaxies, clusters, nebulae.” For beginners, too, objects are easily visible, even from binoculars.” Milind adds, “The
Andromeda galaxy and constellation will be seen just after sunset on the eastern horizon. Prominent meteor showers like Leonid and Geminid (in December) will be visible. You can now see Canis Major (one of the brightest constellations), and the Great Bear, as well as Gate of Heaven — an arrangement of constellations Gemini and Canis Minor, through which the orbits of all planets start. In the first week of January, get ready for Quadrantis, a bright meteor shower. And all this is only a part of it.”
‘Light pollution ruins viewing from the city’

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<p>Increasing light pollution in the city has made stargazing difficult<br></p>

It would be ideal to just get out into an open patch near your home with telescope, but that’s wishful thinking as unfortunately, artificial light plays spoilsport. Says Vikram Virulkar, an astronomer by profession, “So many Mumbaikars are gaining interest in astronomy, but we are let down by our skies in the city as we have so much light pollution. Luckily, the outskirts are an option. He takes stargazing hobbyists to Lake Vaitarna, approximately 150 km from Mumbai (enroute to Nasik). “One, it is relatively free of people. And secondly, there is not too much development there. Navi Mumbai used to be good, but rampant development has dramatically increased the number of particulate pollutants in the area, making viewing tougher. Stargazing used to also take place in Shahad and Shahapur (at the extreme end of the central line) as well as Asangaon. But over time, these places have also fallen out of the list for the same reason,” explains Vikram. So what’s in store for stargazers in the outskirts? “Every season has its gift, and the winter has its delights, too. You get to see Taurus and Orion, the most recognised constellation, can be seen late evening onwards. On the Western side, you will start to see the Pegasus constellation. You have Saturn with its rings and shooting stars, which appear at random and are a like a burst of light. During this time you can also view the Milky Way as well as pretty star trails, above the lake. Sirius, the brightest star in the sky, is just below Orion and can be easily seen late evening towards night. And, as winter progresses, Orion will start rising earlier,” he informs.
First-timer? No worry, you can jump into the hobby

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Beginners will find this hobby easy to take up. You also do not need to own a telescope to go stargazing

Never been stargazing and keen to try it? There’s a whole community of like-minded folk like you out there. The feeling of being outdoors under the cool, silent skies with a carpet of shimmering stars above, is said to be another experience altogether! Do not worry if you have no equipment. Either pick up a simple pair of binoculars or they will be provided to you. The groups first meet at a certain point and head to the designated area. They gather around and after an interactive session, there is a familiarisation with the night sky, in which folks get accustomed to using the observing equipment. They then set up a spot for themselves and get ready for their first observation, which takes place between 7pm-9pm. The next session is from 10 to midnight and then another upto 2am or 3am.
Camping and gathering around a bonfire are part of the fun. Suyash Padarkar organises stargazing at Rajmachi in Lonavla. “This is an apt spot for it, due to its high altitude and dark skies. We also provide tented accommodation,” he says. Adds Deepti Mangesh Sutar of another stargazing group, “More people are taking to observing the sky and it makes for an educative experience. This weekend, we have a Leonid meteor shower party at Saphale; it will be a real treat for kids and even someone who has never seen it.”
What’s ‘starring’ this season?
The Great Bear
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The Great Bear

The Seven Sisters.....
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The Pleiades star cluster or the Seven Sisters

... and the rings of Saturn
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The rings of Saturn

- Andromeda Galaxy, which appears like a cotton and is in the constellation of Andromeda. It can be seen from sunset to 9 pm
- Sirius (brightest star also called Eye of The Dog)
- Hunter (Orion) constellation
- Canis Major (close to Hunter)
- Cassiopia constellation
- Ursa Major or Great Bear constellation (near Cassopia)
- Pole Star, very faint (seen with the help of Cassiopia and Great Bear)
- Saturn with rings, on the western horizon, at twilight
- Pleiades cluster, or the Seven Sisters, a prominent star cluster on the Eastern horizon
- Meteor showers
- The greenish Geminid meteor shower which streaks across the sky, will peak on December 13 and continue to be seen for a week
- Comet Linear may be may be seen December end.
- Pegasus constellation, directly overhead at the zenith. It can be identified by an almost square-like formation of stars
WHERE TO GO STARGAZING AROUND MUMBAI


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  • Kelwe Beach (three stations after Virar)
  • Vangani
  • Neral
  • Mamnoli, 40 km from Kalyan
  • Sagunabad, Neral
  • Bhivpuri
  • Khopoli
  • Umroli
  • Ghodbunder
  • Yeoor, Thane
  • Matheran
  • Lonavala

author
About the Author
Ismat Tahseen

Traveller, writer and foodie, not always in that order! Penchant for words, smart conversation and humour. Definitely humour. Grammar nazi, loves the newsroom and all that goes with it. Will write till I die!

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