Call for Volunteers: National Astronomy Olympiad 2015!

Nepal Astronomical Society (NASO) announces National Call for Volunteers for the Second National Astronomy Olympiad during 2015 (NAO-2015). We are looking for application from the motivated, dedicated and hardworking people who want to work with us during NAO-2015. Selected volunteers with work with us till September 2015 as a part of NAO-2105 program.

No of Positions available: 10

Are you interested to join us ? If yes, please contact us at astro.olympiad@gmail.com with subject line 'Application for NAO-2015 Volunteer' along with one page letter of motivation/Cover Letter and your latest CV.

Only Shortlisted candidates will be invited for an interview session.

What will you do as NAO-2015 Volunteer?

• Administrative Work: To prepare promotional materials like flyers, Banners, etc and assist during different event like opening ceremony, closing ceremony, selection exam, etc
• Promotional work: To reach more students and conduct orientation classes at different colleges
• Report/News Writing Work: To prepare reports of Opening Ceremony,Closing Ceremony,Selection,exam, press meet, etc and prepare news articles to be sent to media

Note: You will need to spend at least 20 hours a week for the work related with NAO-2015, access to good internet connection and good English and writing skills to be a part of this initiative.

Volunteers will be provided token of love and certificate for their contribution after the completion of the program at one of our programs.

The deadline for application is November 30, 2014. So apply now!

National Astronomy Olympiad: 

The National Astronomy Olympiad Program is a national educational program designed by Nepal Astronomical Society (NASO) and ESPRO Foundation to encourage Nepalese students who pursue further studies in Physics,Maths,Astronomy & Space Science.

Nepal Astronomical Society (NASO):

Nepal Astronomical Society (NASO) which was formed in 2007 is the leading astronomical society in Nepal. Since then it has been continuously working for the astronomy and space science outreach, education and research in Nepal. Its experts on different areas especially outreach have been extensively taken astronomy to many parts of Nepal. With the celebrations of International HelioPhysical Year 2007 - 2008 and International Year of Astronomy 2009 with many exciting programs in Nepal, it is now moving ahead with greater responsibilities and the human resources than before for the enhancement of astronomical community in Nepal. It is committed for the ProAm collaboration for enriching the astronomical community in Nepal and has been collaborating with Astrophysics and Cosmology Research Group along with other stake holders promoting outreach, education and research works in the fields of science and technology in Nepal.

ESPRO Foundation:

ESPRO Foundation was established in 2009 by Mr. Probodh Rijal, Founder Principal of Eureka High School, Nepaltar, Kathmandu, Nepal. It promotes different educational activities at school level especially in science. The founder is also the organizer of the Young Scientist Fair, an event where schools students from different schools in Nepal exhibits their talents and get awarded for their best practices.  ESPRO is actively working to establish a science city with interactive science museum and a planetarium for the students.

Countdown Begins: Rosetta’s Philae probe is set to make the first-ever landing on a Comet!

As the Rosetta Mission's is getting closer to the most crucial part of the mission, i.e. landing on the comet 67P/ C-G, we, Nepal Astronomical Society (NASO), are working with media to take this greatest event of space exploration to the public as much as possible. We would like to thank the ESA TV team and EuroVision Team for the information which we managed to convey to the TV channels to explore the possibility of taking this event to every household via Nepal Television and Avenues Television.

Rosetta is a cornerstone mission to chase, go into orbit around, and land on a comet. It is studying the Jupiter-family comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko with a combination of remote sensing and in situ measurements. The spacecraft arrived at the comet on 6 August 2014 following a 10-year journey through the Solar System. Between August and November, the spacecraft has been orbiting the comet and gathering data to characterise the environment and the comet nucleus. On 12 November 2014, Rosetta's lander Philae will be deployed to the surface. Philae carries a suite of instruments for imaging and sampling the comet nucleus. The Rosetta orbiter will track the comet through perihelion (August 2015), examining its behavior before, during and after.

Here's the timeline for the Rosetta Mission reflecting accomplished works as well as remaining part of the mission:

Event	Nominal date
Launch	2 March 2004
First Earth gravity assist	4 March 2005
Mars gravity assist	25 February 2007
Second Earth gravity assist	13 November 2007
Asteroid Steins flyby	5 September 2008
Third Earth gravity assist	13 November 2009
Asteroid Lutetia flyby	10 July 2010
Enter deep space hibernation	8 June 2011
Exit deep space hibernation	20 January 2014
Rendezvous manoeuvres begin	7 May 2014
Arrive at comet	6 August 2014
Start global mapping	10 September 2014
Lander delivery	12 November 2014
Perihelion passage	13 August 2015
End of mission	31 December 2015

The objectives of the missions are:

• To study the origin of comets, the relationship between cometary and interstellar material, and its implications with regard to the origin of the Solar System. The measurements to be made to achieve this are:
• Global characterisation of the nucleus, determination of dynamic properties, surface morphology and composition;
• Determination of the chemical, mineralogical and isotopic compositions of volatiles and refractories in a cometary nucleus;
• Determination of the physical properties and interrelation of volatiles and refractories in a cometary nucleus;
• Study of the development of cometary activity and the processes in the surface layer of the nucleus and the inner coma (dust/gas interaction);
• Global characterisation of asteroids, including determination of dynamic properties, surface morphology and composition.

There are altogether 21 instruments as mentioned below:

THE ROSETTA ORBITER (11 SCIENCE INSTRUMENT PACKAGES)

Alice	Ultraviolet Imaging Spectrometer
CONSERT	Comet Nucleus Sounding Experiment by Radio wave Transmission
COSIMA	Cometary Secondary Ion Mass Analyser
GIADA	Grain Impact Analyser and Dust Accumulator
MIDAS	Micro-Imaging Dust Analysis System
MIRO	Microwave Instrument for the Rosetta Orbiter
OSIRIS	Optical, Spectroscopic, and Infrared Remote Imaging System
ROSINA	Rosetta Orbiter Spectrometer for Ion and Neutral Analysis
RPC	Rosetta Plasma Consortium
RSI	Radio Science Investigation
VIRTIS	Visible and Infrared Thermal Imaging Spectrometer

THE ROSETTA LANDER (10 SCIENCE INSTRUMENT PACKAGES)

APXS	Alpha Proton X-ray Spectrometer
ÇIVA and ROLIS	Panoramic and microscopic imaging system
CONSERT	Comet Nucleus Sounding Experiment by Radio wave Transmission
COSAC	Cometary Sampling and Composition experiment
PTOLEMY	Evolved Gas Analyser
MUPUS	Multi-Purpose Sensor for Surface and Subsurface Science
ROMAP	Rosetta lander Magnetometer and Plasma Monitor
SD2	Sample and Distribution Device
SESAME	Surface Electric Sounding and Acoustic Monitoring Experiment

To  know more about our work on taking this historic event to public in Nepal, like us at www.facebook.com/NepalAstronomicalSociety or subscribe our blog ( you can do that by submitting your email at the top right of this page)!

Looking forward to have successful landing! Happy Landing Philae :) 

National Astronomy Olympiad 2015: Pre-Registration Available NOW!

Nepal Astronomical Society (NASO) announced call for pre-registration for the National Astronomy Olympiad 2015 today and will remain open until the announcement of selection examination details. We encouraged all the interested and eligible students for the pre-registration so that you will get an email about the details on the selection exams when available! 

Only Nepalese students born after January 1, 1996 and having studied upto higher secondary studies are eligible to apply for this program.If you are interested for the program and wish to participate, click here to APPLY NOW!

The National Astronomy Olympiad Program is a national educational program designed by Nepal Astronomical Society (NASO) and ESPRO Foundation to encourage Nepalese students who pursue further studies in Physics,Maths,Astronomy & Space Science.

!All the interested & eligible students are encouraged to apply!
!If you have any queries regarding National Astronomy Olympiad Program or look forward to contribute, please feel free to contact us!

The registration will be accepted till April 17, 2015

APPLY NOW