“Lots Of Cool Science For Everyone” — Indian Institute Of Astrophysics To Hold ‘Open Day’ For The Public On 25 February

It’s “open day” season around National Science Day.

The Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Bengaluru, is opening up its Koramangla campus to the public from 10am to 8pm on Saturday, 25 February.

The event is free of charge and open to all. (Schools or colleges planning to bring over students for the open day are invited to register beforehand.)

IIA’s open day will feature astronomy models and contests, posters, a science quiz, experimental demonstrations, including one involving a tethered balloon, public talks, sunspot viewing, night sky watching, and stalls by amateur astronomy groups.

A couple of public talks, to look forward to in the afternoon, are the formation and evolution of galaxies in the age of large telescopes (Kannada) and the technical features and early results from the James Webb Space Telescope (English).

The two talks will be delivered at 2pm and 3:30pm respectively in the IIA Auditorium.

The open day “will have lots of cool science for everyone,” IIA has said in a tweet.

Some IIA research scholars went around downtown Bengaluru, around Church Street and Bridage Road, advertising their open day.

A typical open day at an institute is an opportunity for the student community and the general public to interact and engage with the science and scientists of the host institute. It seeks to cultivate a spirit of scientific enquiry in people of all ages.

An open day especially has the potential to stoke the interest of young minds, who may then go on to develop a fruitful, lasting relationship with science — or even have a career in the sciences.

The Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, too announced its open day recently.

Set for 4 March, IISc’s open day is scheduled in such a way that it marks two important days of science for the institute — the National Science Day (28 February) and Founder’s Day (3 March). The latter marks the birth anniversary of IISc's founder, Jamsetji Nusserwanji Tata.

The National Science Day, which is the primary occasion towards which the open days at institutes like IIA, IISc, and Raman Research Institute (RRI) are observed yearly, marks the anniversary of the discovery of the Raman Effect.

It was on this day in 1928 that Sir Chandrasekhara Venkata Raman announced the discovery for which he was awarded the Nobel Prize in 1930.

On the recommendation of the National Council for Science and Technology Communication, the Government of India designated 28 February as National Science Day in 1986. Science communication activities are a particular focus for the day.

The theme for National Science Day, 2023, is "Global Science for Global Wellbeing."

Although its open day is on 25 February, IIA Bengaluru has activities lined up for the actual National Science Day as well, from 9:30am to 2pm on Tuesday.

IIA’s Centre For Research & Education in Science and Technology (CREST) campus in Hoskote, near Bengaluru, will host a ‘Night Sky Watch’ from 6:30pm to 8:30pm on 28 February.

Other activities earlier in the day at CREST include astronomy models and contests, a drawing competition, a live science quiz, and a movie, among others.

At its Vainu Bappu Observatory in Kavalur (Tamil Nadu), IIA is organising an inter-school drawing, quiz, debate, and various competitions on 28 February.

Also Read: 'Open Day': IISc All Set Take Its Science To Students And The Public On 4 March