Showing posts with label Science. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Science. Show all posts

Sunday, May 27, 2018

Astronomy & Robotics Outreach at the 5th Kantipur HISSAN EduFair 2018

Nepal Astronomical Society (NASO) in support of Southwestern State College and social media group Daari Gang organized an outreach campaign to help the new generation know about space science, astronomy, and robotics at the 5th Kantipur HISSAN EduFair 2018, May 24 - 27, 2018 held in Kathmandu.



The campaign included solar observation and robotics display too which helped many visitors to observe the sun and various robots. Since the campaign was targeted to SEE students who came there to select their college for higher studies, we helped them to understand the importance of practical study in science and technological field.


During this event, around three thousand visitors got chance to observe the sun and know their presence in the universe. Many young minds got new motivation for their higher studies. The campaign was also attended by famous actors like Bipin Karki, Manoj Gajurel, Ex-Dean of Purbanchal University and many famous personalities.

Sunday, February 11, 2018

2nd NASO Women In Science Award 2018!

On the occasion of International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2018, we are pleased to announce 2nd NASO Women In Science Award 2018! The award will be distributed into two categories: student and professional on April 12, 2018 during a main function of our week long celebration of 'International Day of Human Space Flight 2018' to encourage and acknowledge the engagement and works of women in science in Nepal.
***Application deadline: March 8, 2018***
The award will be distributed into two categories: student & professional and includes the cash prize (Professsional: NRs 25,000/- and Student: NRs 15,000/-), trophy and certificate for both categories.

***Application deadline: March 8, 2018***

Click here to hear what Manisha Dwa, coordinator at Women in Astronomy Nepal (WIAN) shared about our program during United Nations/United Arab Emirates-High Level Forum: Space as a Driver for Socio-Economic Sustainable Development, Dubai, UAE, November 6-9, 2017. 

If you are a student or professional working on science and woman, we strongly encourage you to apply for this award.

***Application deadline: March 8, 2018***

The basic idea behind the creation of this award is to identify and acknowledge the contribution that Nepalese women are doing in STEM (science, technology, engineering & mathematics). We started Women in Astronomy Nepal (WIAN) on November 1, 2015 at NASO in order to create a unique platform for all the women. We believe, this award will add more enthusiam and encouragement among the women who are working in STEM.

***Application deadline: March 8, 2018***

Wish you all a very happy International Day of Women and Girls in Science 2018! Lets make better world empowering them to STEM!

Feel free to share this opportunity among the women around you!

Saturday, August 19, 2017

Teej and Science: Meet and Greet 2017 held in Kathmandu!

While women are celebrating Teej Festival with their regular groups/families/friends, we decided to host a different meeting where we discuss about science together with festive flavour in Kathmandu today!

Photo: Participants posing for group photo after the "Teej & Science: Meet & Greet 2017" held today. Credit: NASO
Today, Teej and Science: Meet and Greet 2017 was held at My choice Restaurant, Lazimpat, Kathmandu. The event was organized by Women in Astronomy Nepal (WIAN) at Nepal Astronomical Society (NASO) and supported by Sano Sansar Youth Hostel- Only for Girls.

During the event, participants discussed different problems they faced while studying/teaching/reporting science. Participants of the event were primary level science teacher, secondary level science teacher, university level science teacher, students and journalists selected based on their active profile in the society.

The meeting also stressed the need of making classroom more interactive to make science interesting among students. The gathering was first kind in Nepal as per the participants. the meeting was moderated by Ms. Manisha Dwa, coordinator of WIAN and project coordinator/board of directors at NASO.

Participants agreed to utilize the local resources for science teaching and consult with NASO for any difficulties in coming days. Mr Suresh Bhattarai, Chairman at NASO expressed his committment for the practical/implicable proposals from the gathering today and from follow-up meeting in next few weeks.

Tuesday, February 21, 2017

1st NASO Women In Science Award 2017!

Nepal Astronomical Society (NASO) is pleased to announce 1st NASO Women In Science Award 2017 in Nepal. The award will be distributed into two categories: student and professional on March 8, 2017 to encourage and acknowledge the engagement and works of women in science in Nepal.

***Application deadline: March 1, 2017***


If you are a student or professional working on science and woman, we strongly encourage you to apply for this award.

The basic idea behind the creation of this award is to identify and acknowledge the contribution that women are doing in the field of science and technology in Nepal. We started Women in Astronomy Nepal (WIAN) last year within NASO in order to create a unique platform for all the women working in science. We believe, this award will add more enthusiam and encouragement among the women who are working in science.

Feel free to share this opportunity among the women around you!

Saturday, August 20, 2016

Third National Astronomy Olympiad 2016 Closed Camp in August!

We are pleased to announce our Third National Astronomy Olympiad 2016 (NAO2016) Closed Camp during August 21-31, 2016! The closed camp will select the top five students as the winners of NAO2016!

Twenty-one students who managed to perform their best during our rigorous evaluation process such as selection exam, interviews and pre-closed camp will be a part of our closed camp session this year. Want to know those twenty-one students? Here you go:
Selected students represent eleven schools including seven schools in Kathmandu Valley, two schools in Chitwan and two schools in Kaski. 

During the closed camp, students will get first hand experience on working with astrophysical theories, problems and their solution. They will also learn data analysis and night sky observation techniques. 

This year, the practical sessions of the closed camp will be held at Everest Science Center Nepal (ESCN) located in near Biratnagar, Nepal. We beleive, it will help our students understand the current status of scienc and technology status and trend in the coutry. ESCN is the only science center in function at the moment which was established in 2001.

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.

Want to know more about our olympiad program and it different stages that students will go through during our seletion process? Please feel free to visit: www.nepalastronomicalsociety.org/olympiad

Monday, February 15, 2016

गुरुत्वाकर्षण तरङ्गका फरक प्रसङ्ग!

Dr. Prajwal Kafle


खगोल विज्ञानका निम्ति ब्रहमाण्ड आफै प्रयोगशाला जस्तो हो। अनुकुल समयमा प्रयोग(experiment) गरौँ भन्न पनि नमिल्ने प्रयोगशाला।अहिले चर्चामा रहेको गुरुत्वाकर्षण तरङ्ग हाम्रो आकाशगंगामा प्रवेश गर्दा मानव जाति ढुंगे युगका बाँदरनै थिए!

गुरुत्वाकर्षण तरङ्ग र त्यसै प्रसङ्गमा अल्बर्ट आइन्स्टाइनका बारेमा विगत केही दिनहरुमा पत्रपत्रिका, टि.भी., सामाजिक संजालमा नलेखिएका र नभनिएका थोरै मात्र कुराहरु मात्र होलान। यहाँ त्यहि गुरुत्वाकर्षण तरंग सम्बन्धि त्यति चर्चामा नआएका  केही पृथक प्रसङ्गहरु राख्न चाहन्छु। 

सुर्य जस्ता ३०० खरब ताराहरु मिलेर बनेको छ हाम्रो आकाशगंगा (MilkyWay galaxy)। त्यस्ता खरबौ आकाशगंगाहरु( galaxies ) छन् ब्रहमाण्डमा (in the Universe)। दुर त्यस्तै कुनै एक आकाशगंगामा ब्लैक होल (Black Hole) भनिने सुर्य भन्दा कयौ गुणा भिम्काए पिण्डहरु एक आपसमा जुद्दा गुरुत्वाकर्षण तरंगहरु पैदा भए। ति तरंगहरु प्रकाशको गतिले चारै तिर छरिए। अन्तत्वो हामी सम्म पनि ति तरंगहरु आइपुगे। अनि ति तरंगहरुलाई हामीले यो पटक मापन गर्न सक्षम भए संगै बिज्ञानको एउटा कालखण्ड समाप्त भयो भन्दा फरक नपर्ला। Albert Einsteinको १०० वर्ष पुरानो सिदान्त पनि अन्तत्वगोत्व प्रमाणित भयो। 

ब्रहमाण्डमा यी तरंगहरु पहिलो पटक निस्केका होइनन्। भाग्यवस, यो पटक मानव शभ्यता तम-तयार थियो र  Advance LIGOको मद्दतले यि तरंगहरु सुन्न सकियो। 

भाग्यवस चाहिँ किन भने, गुरुत्वाकर्षण मै शोध गरेका रिच आइजाच्चोन NSF(अमेरिकाको बिज्ञानमा लगानी गर्ने संस्था) मा नहुँदा हुन् त वजेट अभावका कारण प्रथमत LIGO नै बन्ने थिएन। त्यो समयमा LIGOमा लाग्ने खर्चले अरु बिज्ञानका क्षेत्रहरुको वजेट कटौती हुनसक्छ भन्ने धेरैलाई संसय थियो। अन्त समय सम्म पनि तिनीहरु LIGOको विरोधमै थिए। विकसित राष्ट्रहरुमा रिसर्चमा लगानी हाम्रो दाँजोमा धेरै जस्तो देखिने भएता पनि, त्यहाँ पनि लगानी निश्चित र अत्यन्तै प्रतिस्पर्धी हुने गर्छन। सोझै साधारण जनजीवनमा प्रभाव पार्ने खालका छैनन् भने त बजेट पाउन असम्भव प्राय नै हुञ्छ। 

भाग्यवस किन पनि भने, Advance LIGOबन्दै गर्दा ८३ वर्षीय भौतिकशास्त्री रैनेर वेइस्सले उपकरण परिक्षणको काम नसकिएकाले केही दिन थप समय मागेका थिए। सन्जोग हर्नुस, त्यहि मागेको भनिएको थप दिन भित्रै यी तरङ्ग ति उपकरणमा मापन गरिएका हुन्। धन्न उनको अर्जी मानिएन नत्र तरङ्ग पृथ्वीबाट गुज्रिदा सम्पूर्ण उपकरण निदाई रहेकै हुने थियो होला। जम्मा-जम्मी ४ सेकन्डमै पृथ्वी पार गरिसक्ने ति तरङ्गहरु भविस्यमा फेरी कहिले हामीले मापन गर्न सक्थ्यौ अड्कल गर्न गारो छ। 

विज्ञानका अरु क्षेत्र भन्दा खगोलको फरक चुनौती नै यही हो। खगोल विज्ञानका निम्ति ब्रहमाण्ड आफै प्रयोगशाला जस्तो हो। अनुकुल समयमा प्रयोग(experiment) गरौँ भन्न पनि नमिल्ने प्रयोगशाला। आफैं ठाउँमा पुगेर दुई ब्लैक होल जुधाउन पनि नमिल्ने। कुनै घटना आकाशमा कहिले होला कुरिरहनु पर्ने। अझ आकाशमा हरेक वस्तु यति बिशाल दुरीमा हुन्छन कि एक ठाउँबाट अर्को ठाउँ सम्म पुग्न पनि करोडौ वर्ष लाग्छ। जस्तो कि सुर्य बाट किरण पृथ्वी सम्म आइपुग्न पनि औसत ८ मिनेट २० सेकन्ड लाग्छ। अहिले चर्चामा रहेको गुरुत्वाकर्षण तरङ्ग हाम्रो आकाशगंगामा प्रवेश गर्दा मानव जाति ढुंगे युगका बाँदरनै थिए! 

फेरी बिषयमै फर्किउ। भानिन्छ नि असाधारण दावीका लागी प्रमाणहरु पनि असाधारण हुनु पर्छ। शताब्दी नाघी सकेको गुरुत्वाकर्षण तरङ्ग सम्बन्धि सिदान्त, जसलाई ४० वर्ष खोज गर्दा नि प्रमाणित गर्न सकिएको थिएन, त्यस कुरोको प्रमाण पनि असाधारण, अकाट्य नै दिनु पर्ने थियो। 

१४ सितम्बर २०१५मा प्रथम पटक तरङ्गहरु लिभिङ्ग इस्टोन, अमेरिकामा मापन गर्दा उपकरणको अन्तिम परिकक्षण त बाँकी नै थियो भनिन्छ। हुन त मुख्य परिकक्षणहरु पहिला नै भैसकेका थिए। पूर्ण रुपमा जाँची नसकेकाले पनि हुनसक्छ LIGO टिमका झन्डै एक हजार वैज्ञानिकहरु यस वर्षको शुरुमै पत्ता लागिसकेको तरङ्ग सम्बन्धि डाटा दोहोराएर, बारम्बार छड्के परिक्षण र पूर्ण अध्ययन गरे पश्चात मात्र केही दिन अघि सार्वजनिक गरेका हुन्। 

एउटा रोचक प्रसङ्ग के खुल्न आएको छ भने LIGO भित्र फर्जी तरङ्ग पैदा गर्ने केही व्यक्तिको ग्रुप नै बनाइएको थियो। त्यस्ता फर्जी तरङ्गहरुले LIGOका बाँकी वैज्ञानिकहरुलाई चनाखो बनाई राख्ने काम गर्थ्यो। एक पटक त यति सम्म झुकीए छन् कि झन्डै त्यो खोज प्रकाशित हुने अन्तिम चरणसम्म पुगेको थियो भनिञ्छ। तर यो पटक दुइ फरक फरक ठाउँमै ति तरङ्गहरु केही समयको अन्तरालमा नापिए पछि भने कुनै शंका रहेनन् कि आइन्स्टाइन यो पटक पनि सहि नै सावित भए।       

अन्त्यमा, यो खोज वा स्वयम् सापेकक्षवादको सिदान्तले पनि आइन्स्टाइनलाई विज्ञानको सर्वश्रेष्ठ नोबेल पुरस्कार प्रदान गरेन र  गर्दैन। किनभने नोबेल पुरस्कार मृत्यु पर्यन्त्र दिईदैन र उनको मृत्यु भएको पनि आधा शताब्दी भन्दा बढी भैसकेको छ। उनि जिवितै हुँदा सापेकक्षवादका कुनै सिदान्त प्रमाणित हुनै सकेका थिएनन् र नोबेल पुरस्कार अप्रमाणित सिदान्तलाई प्रदान गरिन्न। यकिनका साथ भन्न नसके पनि यो पटकको नोबेल पुरस्कार गुरुत्वाकर्षण तरङ्गको खोजकर्ताले नै पाउने अनुमान छ। हेर्न रमाइलो के हुने छ भने ३ भन्दा बढी व्यक्तिलाई नोबेल वितरण गरिन्न तर यो खोजमा एक हजार बैज्ञानिकको संग्लग्नता छ।

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Thursday, January 21, 2016

First Time in Nepalese History: Students made contact with ESA Astronaut Timothy Peake!

January 20, 2016 became a hostorical date for the people working on science and technology in Nepal as for the first time in Nepal, Nepalese students interacted with the onboard First European Space Agency (ESA) Astronaut of British Origin, Timothy Peake on International Space Station from Brihaspati Vidyashadan, Naxal, Kathmandu, Nepal.



This video covers the 17 questions from the students to Astronaut Timothy Peake and his answers. The organizers prepared for 24 students from 7 different schools with their 24 different questions.

Brihaspati Vidyashanan helped Nepal create a history! Kudos to all the people who make this event a great success! 

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Application for National Astronomy Olympiad 2014 is open now!

The National Astronomy Olympiad Programme is designed by Nepal Astronomical Society (NASO) and ESPRO Foundation to encourage Nepalese students with good foundations in Physics and Mathematics and an interest in Astronomy to pursue further studies in this field. It involves a four stages process leading to participation of Nepalese team in the International Olympiad in Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA). This year the IOAA is going to be held in Suceava, Romania, 1-10 August, 2014.

For detail information about NAO2014, please visit official website of NAO2014: www.nationalolympiad.org



!!!Exam Centers  and Dates of NAO2014 will be announced later!!!

Tuesday, October 30, 2012

Nepal had successful participation in 22nd UN/IAF Workshop & 63rd IAC in Naples, Italy,2012

22nd United Nations/International Astronautical Federation Workshop on " Space Technologies Applied to the Needs of Humanity: Experience from Cases in the Mediterranean Area " during September 28-30, 2012 & The 63rd International Astronautical Congress( IAC), October 1-5, 2012 remained a good platform to share the space activities in Nepal. This was possible as Mr. Suresh Bhattarai participated and presented his paper in these two events. 


Photo 1: Mr. Bhattarai presenting his poster on 22nd UN/IAF Workshop during September 28-30, 2012, Naples, Italy.
Photo 2: Mr. Bhattarai presenting his paper in the IAC2012,October 1-5, 2012, Naples, Italy. ( Credit: Reinhard  Tlustos)



During the workshop, Mr. Bhattarai actively participated in the discussion on how Space Science can be used on Land Management and discussed the issued where space science had been great help to manage the resources in Nepal. Also he discussed about the different institutions that are using space science & its applications in Nepal. He also presented his paper on "Space Science Education, Outreach Activities and Their Impact in Nepal" during the workshop on September 28-30, 2012.

IAC is one of the biggest event on space science in the world. Mr. Bhattarai presented his paper on Space Education and Outreach Section where he discussed about the hstory of space science education and outreach in Nepal, current status and "Nepal Government's 20 Years Space Development Plan" among the audience. The Govermment of Nepal came up with the plan in 2011 which is regarded as one of the seeding activity of Space Research in Nepal very soon.

Nepal first participated in IAC in 1998 and then 2003. Since 2009, Nepal has been able to show its continuous presence to IAC with  its enthusiastic youths.

Mr. Bhattarai is one of the founder member  and executive secretary at Nepal Astronomical Society (NASO). NASO is a pioneer group for the promotion of S &T in Nepal through Astronomy and Space Science Outreach along with some ProAm programmes addressing all range of people from the globe. He is also currently working for Space Generation Advisory Council (SGAC) as National Point of Contact for Nepal and Executive Secretary at SGAC executive office at Vienna, Austria. Besides, he serves as chairman at EurAstro World (EAW) and Ambassador for Nepal at StarPeace Project.