11th Asian-Pacific Regional IAU Meeting (APRIM2011) held in Thailand!

The 11th Asian-Pacific Regional IAU Meeting (APRIM2011) was held in Chiang Mai, Thailand, during July 26-29, 2011, continuing on from the successful 10th APRIM held in Yunnan, PRC in 2008. The principal aim of the conference was to provide a forum for the expanding astronomy research community. In view of the extensive scientific and technical development in astronomy now occuring at the observatories all over the world, APRIM2011 became an important forum to encourage collaborations among groups working in different countries in the region.As with APRIM2008, astronomers from all over the world were welcomed to contribute to all sessions of the meeting.Participation of young astronomers and students was strongly encouraged.A special session focusing on astronomy education, outreach and popularization of astronomy was also arranged.



A full-day excursion to the Thai National Observatory, home of the 2.4-m optical telescope and to the Princess Sirindhorn Neutron Monitor in Doi Inthanon National Park, was organized as part of the conference programme.A joint event, Astro-Expo 2011, to commemorate His Majesty the King's 84th Birthday in the year 2011, was also be organized.

Nepal presented four contributions ( 3 oral and one poster) during the meeting. The name of the four delegates from Nepal were Rishi Shah,Sudeep Neupane, Suresh Bhattarai and Riwaj Pokhrel.

Talk on Astronomy- "Chhatedhunga history- possible stone henge'

Report coming soon......

Weather play foul to the Star Gazers of Nepal during Total Lunar Eclipse on June 15/16, 2011!

The first Total Lunar Eclipse of 2011 brought great excitement among the amateur astronomers of Nepal.observe this historical eclipse,Nepal Astronomical Society(NASO), Kathmandu and Nepali Association for Astronomical Mission(NAAM) Birgunj,Nepal had organized doouble stationed observation of TLE from Nepal.before, NASO has spread the news among the nepalese through different media. " We have been busy answering the questions from the media as an live on FM radios from different parts of Nepal", said the Rishi Shah,Academician of Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) and President of NASO. We have tried to dissiminate the right information to every corner of Nepal through TVs, Radios and newspaper", explained Mr. Suresh Bhattarai, Secretary of NASO.



Through the observation from Kathmandu failed due to rain, Observers at other end had enjoyed the moments. "It was amazing to observe the moon passing deeply in the shadow of the Earth with in hrs,more interestingly to see the changes in the colour of the moon with orange to red and to black" explained Mr. Milan Rai, president of Nepali Association for Astronomical Mission(NAAM)
Birgunj,Nepal.

As we know that our solar system is a family of planets and their satellites which revolving around the sun on their orbit, so some time they come between a straight line while revolving around the sun. When the earth comes between the sun and the moon and they all are in straight path,the earth obstruct the light reaching to the moon causing shadow on it is known as lunar eclipse. Mr Rai further added, "In Birgunj the moon observation night was started from 8:00pm to the morning 7:00 am. According to local time ,the partial eclipse was begain at 12:04 a.m and total eclipse was begain at 1:06 a.m and total eclipse ends at 2:45 a.m morning at birgunj. After on wards we couldn’t recored the phases of eclipse of cloudy weather".

See you on in December, 2011!!!