Nepal Names 16 Students to Represent the Nation at Three International Astronomy Olympiads in 2026

- Kathmandu, Nepal

The Nepal Astronomical Society (NASO) has announced the sixteen students who will carry Nepal's flag at three international astronomy competitions later this year, following the successful conclusion of the 13th National Astronomy Olympiad 2026 (NAO2026). The selected students, drawn from the Senior and Junior merit lists of the national closed camp, will represent Nepal at the 19th International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA 2026) in Hanoi, Vietnam; the 5th International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics for Juniors (IOAA-jr 2026) in Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand; and the 5th Open World Astronomy Olympiad (OWAO) in Sirius, Russia.

The Road from NAO2026

The 13th National Astronomy Olympiad 2026 reached its climax with a national-level closed camp held from June 1–7, 2026, bringing together the country's most promising young astronomers for an intensive week of instruction and examination. NASO released the final round results for both the Senior and Junior categories on June 15, 2026, publishing National Merit Lists of 40 students each.

In the Senior Category, Aryan Khadka of Kathmandu Model Secondary School, Lalitpur, topped the merit list, followed closely by Shashwot Regmi of Motherland Secondary School, Pokhara, and Krish Shrestha of SOS HGS School Gandaki, Pokhara. In the Junior Category, Shahwaz Alam of Bal Kalyan Vidhya Mandir, Biratnagar, led the field, with Sampanna Dahal of Kathmandu Pragya Kunja School and Abhibyakti Tamang of Little Angels' School, Hattiban, rounding out the top three.

All students on the merit lists - with the exception of two flagged for disciplinary review by the NAO2026 Organizing Committee - became eligible for selection to represent Nepal at this year's international olympiads, with final selection based on merit as well as interviews with students and their parents.

Orientation for the International Journey

On July 31, 2026, NASO's academic committee members held an online orientation session for the students shortlisted for the IOAA, IOAA-jr, and OWAO teams. During the session, committee members shared their own passion for astronomy, personal achievements, and guidance to help prepare the participants for the challenges ahead - both academic and personal - of representing Nepal on the international stage. The orientation marked the formal beginning of the journey for the sixteen students who now make up Team Nepal across the three competitions.

Team Nepal: 19th IOAA 2026 - Hanoi, Vietnam (September 25 - October 5, 2026)

Leading the senior delegation to Vietnam are Suresh Bhattarai and Manisha Dwa as Team Leaders. The five student representatives are:

• Aryan Khadka
• Shashwot Regmi
• Krish Shrestha
• Ankita Acharya
• Shubham Shrestha

Team Nepal: 5th IOAA-jr 2026 - Ubon Ratchathani, Thailand (November 1 - 8, 2026)

The junior delegation to Thailand will be led by Team Leaders Manisha Dwa and Oshan Sharma Kattel, accompanying five student representatives:

• Shahwaz Alam
• Evan Dubey
• Abhi Udaya Dhungana
• Sahaj KC
• Akhilesh Pokharel

Team Nepal: 5th OWAO 2026 - Sirius, Russia (November 6 - 14, 2026)

Team Leader Suresh Bhattarai will guide the six-student contingent travelling to Russia:

• Suyash Koirala
• Rivash Rai
• Om Raj Puri
• Sneha Koirala
• Dipchan Karki
• Garima Basnet

Pre-Departure Training Underway

Building on the momentum of the July orientation, NASO launched a structured pre-departure training programme on August 6, 2026, for all three teams. The training will continue in phases through each team's respective departure date, covering advanced problem-solving in theoretical and observational astronomy, data analysis, telescope handling, and the practical skills the students will need to compete at the international level. The programme is designed to run right up until each team departs to represent Nepal, ensuring the students arrive at Hanoi, Ubon Ratchathani, and Sirius fully prepared to compete against the world's brightest young astronomers.

NASO Chairperson Suresh Bhattarai congratulated all the students on the national merit lists and extended special wishes to the sixteen selected for international duty, noting that their preparation this year reflects the growing strength and depth of astronomy education across Nepal.

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For further details, contact the NASO Office at +977-9843708248, or visit olympiad page in our website www.nepalastronomicalsociety.org/olympiad

18th NASO Day: Foundation Day of the Nepal Astronomical Society

 -Kathmandu, Nepal

The Nepal Astronomical Society (NASO) proudly celebrates its 18th Foundation Day, marking nearly two decades of dedicated efforts to inspire curiosity and expand knowledge in astronomy and space science across Nepal. Since its establishment, NASO has been at the forefront of nurturing young talents, fostering public interest, and promoting scientific temper through diverse outreach, education, and research initiatives.

On this special occasion, NASO is delighted to announce the handover of astronomical equipment to NASO-Karnali, a regional chapter of NASO. This initiative is aimed at amplifying astronomy and space science outreach activities in Karnali Province, one of Nepal’s most geographically diverse and educationally promising regions. The equipment handover, coordinated under the leadership of Dr. Pushpa Raj Acharya, represents a significant step toward ensuring equitable access to astronomical resources and opportunities for communities in the province.

Speaking on the occasion, NASO Chairperson Suresh Bhattarai remarked:

"As we mark 18 years of NASO, we reaffirm our commitment to making astronomy and space science accessible to all. The expansion of our outreach activities in Karnali Province reflects our vision of inclusive scientific growth, where every student, teacher, and enthusiast can look up to the skies with curiosity and confidence."

Adding to this, Dr. Pushpa Raj Acharya, Coordinator of NASO-Karnali, said:

"The handover of these astronomical instruments is a milestone for Karnali Province. It will empower our educators, students, and communities to engage directly with the universe, sparking curiosity and building scientific awareness in a region where access to such resources has been limited. Together with NASO, we are committed to nurturing the next generation of space science enthusiasts from Karnali."

With the handover of equipment, NASO-Karnali will be better equipped to conduct stargazing events, school-based astronomy sessions, teacher training, and public engagement activities that spark interest in the wonders of the universe.

NASO extends heartfelt gratitude to all its members, partners, and well-wishers who have supported the society’s journey since its inception. Together, we look forward to scaling new heights in the coming years as Nepal strengthens its presence in the global astronomy and space science community.

प्रेस विज्ञप्ति: आजबाट हामी पन्ध्रौं वर्षमा प्रवेश!

मिति: भदौ ९, २०७८

प्रेस विज्ञप्ति

आजबाट हामी पन्ध्रौं वर्षमा प्रवेश

नेपालमा खगोल तथा अन्तरिक्ष विज्ञान सम्बन्धि जनचेतनामुलक गतिविधि गर्दै, यस क्षेत्रमा अध्ययन एवं अनुसन्धानका लागि वातावरण सृजना गर्ने अभियानका साथ वि. सं. २०६४ सालबाट शुरु भएको हाम्रो यात्रा विभिन्न आरोह/अवरोह पार गर्दै आजबाट विधिवत् रूपमा चौध वर्ष पुरा गर्दै पन्ध्र वर्षमा प्रवेश गरेको जानकारी यहाँहरुसामु प्रस्तुत गर्न पाउँदा निकै हर्षित छौं। हामीलाई थाहा छ यो हर्षसंगै थप चुनौतीहरू हामीसामु आउँनेछन्। देश तथा विदेशमा रहनुहुने हाम्रा कनिष्क, असोसियट, साधारण, आजीवन सदस्यहरू तथा अहोरात्र खट्ने स्वयंसेवकहरु यस्ता चुनौतीहरूको सामना गर्दै देशमा थप अवसरका आयामहरु सृजना गर्न सधैं अग्रसर रहने कुरा यसै प्रेस विज्ञप्ति मार्फत् व्यक्त गर्न चाहन्छौं ।

नेपाललगायत एसियाप्रशान्त एवं मध्यपूर्व क्षेत्रका देशहरूमा हाम्रो ज्ञानलाई बाढ्ने अभियानमा हामीलाई विश्वास गरी सहकार्यका लागि अग्रसर विभिन्न संघ/संस्था/विद्यालय तथा विश्वविद्यालयहरू प्रति हामी आभार व्यक्त गर्दछौं। नेपालमा बसेर के नै गर्न सकिएला र? भन्नेहरुका लागि हाम्रो अभियान आफैंमा एउटा चुनौती हुन सक्छ।

साथै विगतका भोगाइहरूबाट प्राप्त अनुभवसंगै यहाँहरूको साथ र सहयोगमा नेपाल अनि नेपालीको विश्वमानचित्रमा एउटा छुट्टै पहिचान बनाउने प्रयासलाई अझै सशक्त बनाउँदै लैजानेछौं। यसै सिलसिलामा कोभिड-१९ कै महामारीबीच केहि महत्त्वाकाङ्क्षी योजनाहरू सुरु गर्ने प्रयास गर्दैछौं। यस्ता महत्त्वाकाङ्क्षी योजनाहरूबारे आगामी दिनमा थप जानकारी दिदै जानेछौं।

विगत् १४ वर्षमा यहाँहरुले देखाउनुभएको सद्भाव, माया, विश्वास, सहयोगको लागि हार्दिक धन्यवाद् आभार व्यक्त गर्न चाहन्छौं। साथै, आगामी दिनमा अझै धेरै सहयोग, साथ, विश्वास र मायाको अपेक्षा पनि गर्दछौं।


धन्यवाद्।
सुरेश भट्टराई
अध्यक्ष
नेपाल एष्ट्रोनोमिकल सोसाईटी

We are back!

It's been a while since we were not active in this blog due to several reasons! One of the reasons was that we could not access our blog hence unable to post updates of our activities almost a year!

If you have missed some of the important developments over a year then this blog may give you a quick access to all of them!

Over the year, we have introduced new programs such as space robotics in schools, national online space speech competition, junior category of the national astronomy Olympiad respectively. In the meantime, we have also worked on our existing programs such as Women in Science Award (WiSA), senior category of national astronomy Olympiad, community/school/corporate outreach packages, membership schemes, etc.

We also develop our guideline for partnership and collaborations in 2020 and beyond in order to  make sure it will become stable and sustainable. As our activities has been growing, this is one of the major challenges we are facing and want to reduce in coming days. In order to sustain the growth of our activities, our team at Kathmandu office has been working hard to identify the potential partners and draft clear partnership module. Not only we want  to increase our activities but also want to make sure the quality of our activities in coming days. 

With a support of Dr. Suman Satyal, member of our Scientific Advisory Committee, we have managed to set up our Paypal Account (our global window) to help our members outside Nepal to pay their membership dues, etc. We believe, it will also allow us to accept generous support from community outside Nepal to support our initiatives and activities. If you have seen us creating positive impact in our society and would like to be a part of it through your generous support, please contact us. Together we can bring big difference in our society.

Our team has grown in time and we have started hiring paid position from 2020. Thank you very much for staying with us and supporting us by all means! Ms. Janaki Chhantyal has been appointed as our program officer and the first paid position within our community! She has more than a decade long experience of science teaching in school/s in Pokhara and has completed Masters in Science with majors: Astrophysics and Plasma Physics. Lets welcome her in our community!

To know more about our team, please visit www.nepalastronomicalsociety.org/about-us/

We would like to thank all our well-wishers, supporters, partners, volunteers, interns, members and office staffs to make our dream possible!

We look forward to welcoming you in our efforts to create astronomy and space science accessible to all in Nepal!

IAU appointed a new National Outreach Coordinator (NOC) for Nepal for next three years!

International Astronomical Union (IAU) general secretary Prof. Maria Teresa Lago has appointed Mr. Suresh Bhattarai, Chairman at Nepal Astronomical Society (NASO), as a National Outreach Coordinator for Nepal (NOC-Nepal). The term of the NOC will be for a maximum of 3 years and end at the next IAU General Assembly (GA) unless special notification made by the National Committee of Astronomy (NCA). Since Nepal has no NAC currently, he received his appointment from the IAU Secretariat. 

Photo: Newly appointed IAU National  Outreach Coordinator for Nepal (IAU NOC-Nepal). Credit: Manisha Dwa/NASO 

NOC is the principal national representative appointed under the IAU structure. The primary aims of NOCs are to implement the proposed IAU outreach initiatives at the national level, disseminate information and bridge the IAU with local communities.

The International Astronomical Union (IAU) is an international astronomical organization that brings together more than 12000 professional astronomers from around the world. Its mission is to promote and safeguard all aspects of the science of astronomy through international cooperation. The IAU also works to promote astronomical education, research, and public outreach activities. To learn more about IAU, please visit https://iau.org. 

These activities culminated with the organization of the UNESCO International Year of Astronomy 2009 (IYA2009), which reached out to over 800 million people from 148 countries. The Office for Astronomy Outreach (OAO) was set up in 2012 to implement the Beyond IYA2009 plan, to build networks to support and disseminate information to the amateur astronomy and public outreach communities, and to ultimately make it easier for the public to access information about our universe. The IAU Office for Astronomy Outreach (OAO) is based in Mitaka, Tokyo, Japan. It is a joint venture between the IAU and the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ). To learn more about IAU OAO, please visit https://iau.org/public/.

IAU is celebrating its 100th anniversary this year with many events around the globe and he will be coordinating IAU100 activities in Nepal. To learn more about IAU100, please visit www.iau-100.org.

Photo: IAU100 Banner for the celebration in Nepal. Astronomy enthusiasts are encouraged to use this banner at all their astronomy-related events in 2019 and use hashtag #IAU100Nepal and #IAU100. Credit: IAU

Mr. Bhattarai will be the working with the outgoing IAU NOC for Nepal Mr. Janayanta Acharya, Associate Prof. at Department of Astronomy, Valmiki Vidhyapeeth (Nepal Sanskrit University), Kathmandu as well amateur and professional communities in Nepal. 

Registration Opens for the Orientation Program in Province Three!

With the successful orientation in province 1, we are pleased to announce the second series to be held in province 3! Students who are in high school level and would like to learn more about our asteroid search and astronomy olympiad program can join us at Southwestern State College, Basundhara, Kathmandu on Saturday, December 8, 2018! Registration is free and remains open till until before midnight, Friday, December 7, 2018!

***Register NOW***

The program will provide participants with first-hand information on our asteroid search program and national astronomy program in person. Participants will also get the latest updates about these programs at the orientation.

About Asteroid Search:

All-Nepal Asteroid Search Campaign (ANASC) is a hands-on astronomy program for the high school students with a unique opportunity to make original discoveries of asteroids. It provides high-quality data to the students to get the taste of astronomical research and discoveries. Prior to each search campaign, two-day workshop is organized in order to familiarize students in a campaign for their successful discoveries!

The program accepts thirty-teams each campaign and runs for several times around a year. Students can form a team of a maximum of five members to participate in this campaign. For more information, www.nepalastronomicalsociety.org/asteroidsearch

About the Astronomy Olympiad Program:

National Astronomy Olympiad is an early stage talent hunt program in Nepal. High school tudents of age 14-20 are eligible for the competition. It's an annual program hence accepts application once in a year. Application for the 6th National Astronomy Olympiad 2019 will open in December 2018! For more information, www.nepalastronomicalsociety.org/olympiad

To stay updated with our activities, don't forget to like and subscribe us at

• www.facebook.com/NASONepal
• www.instagram.com/NASONepal
• www.twitter.com/NASONepal
• www.youtube.com/NASONepal

Interaction at Central Campus of Technology, Dharan!

On November 30, an interaction was an organized program at the Central Campus of Technology, Hattisar, Dharan to discuss the opportunities in the field of astronomy and space science in Nepal. The program was possible as Free Students Union at the campus invited us to host an event for the physics students at the campus. 

Photo 1: Mr. Chandra Prkash Sah, Head of Department of Physics, Central Campus of Technology, Dharan and Mr. Suresh Bhattarai, Chairman, Nepal Astronomical Society interacting during the event.

Photo 2: Mr. Chandra Prakash Sah, Head of Department of Physics, Central Campus of Technology, Dharan addressing the students and highlighting need of collaborative efforts for research activities at the Department.

We came in contact with the campus authority in April 2018 during our event for the International Day of Human Space Flight (IDHSF2018) in Itahari International College, Morang and had a follow-up meeting in September 2018 to explore the possible collaboration. We believe this event has opened a new door for both of us and an opportunity to work for the students at the campus.

We would like to express our sincere thanks to campus authorities especially Mr. Chandra Prakash Sah, Head of Department and the Free Students Union at the campus. We look forward to working with you!

If you are studying B.Sc. physics at one of the campuses in Nepal and would like to invite us to the interaction, please feel free to contact our office. We will be happy to share our experience, expertise, and resources.

Webinar with the students at Gaurishankar English Boarding School, Arghakhachi!

Mr. Bijaya Chandra Luitel

Recently, I conducted a webinar for tenth graders at Gaurishankar English Boarding School, Arghakhachi which was conducted with the help of Mr. Sujab Bhusal, one of the associate members of Nepal Astronomical Society (NASO). 

In the webinar, we focused on discussing mainly three things: what Science is and the history of the development of the Scientific method, what futures are possible in the Sciences for a student who will be appearing in the SEE exams soon and finally the possibility of enrichment opportunities like the Olympiads for students in high school. 

Firstly, we discussed what Science is all about. The students had a reverence towards Science and summarized their feelings towards Science thusly: “Science is the deepest form of everything”. However, in order to grasp a future in Science, it is very important for potential students of Science to realize that Science is a method of inquiry, something which I stressed by citing several examples from historical figures. Consequently, we discussed Aristotle and Galileo, focusing on the latter’s experiments with inclined planes which resulted in the understanding that all objects, regardless of their weights, fall to the Earth’s surface when dropped from the same height at the same time, if their densities are sufficient to resist most of the drag caused due to Earth’s atmosphere. 

Next, we talked about future opportunities in the Sciences. There were many students in the audience who wanted non-traditional roles (roles in the context of Nepal) in Science, like becoming educators. We discussed some of these opportunities and the specific skill sets required for such roles. We also chatted about the importance of a clear motivation for studying Science in order to achieve good results in it, discussing the prevalence of practices whereby students are encouraged and even forced to study Science if they have good marks. 

Lastly, we engaged in a session whereby we spoke on matters related to Olympiads, specifically the process of taking part in Olympiads and how to best prepare for them. We focused mainly on the Astronomy Olympiad as that happens to be an area of personal expertise for me. 

In conclusion, the webinar was a good experience for me in interacting with Science enthusiasts in our country. I am hopeful that the experience was equally good for the students participating in the webinar. 

[Mr. Bijaya Chandra Luitel was an absolute winner at the National Astronomy Olympiad held in 2016 and 2017. He received Honorable Mention (HM) at International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA) in 2016 and 2017 held in Bhubaneshwar, India and Phuket, Thailand respectively]

Call for 6th National Astronomy Olympiad 2019: Logo Competition!

Are you someone who is good on graphic designing but have not found a platform to showcase your talent? If yes, National Astronomy Olympiad: Logo Competition might be one of the best platforms for you! The best logo will receive a cash prize of NRs. 5,000/- and a certificate during a program to be organized in Kathmandu. Also, the logo will be used as the official logo of the '6th National Astronomy Olympiad to be held in 2019'.

The call for application to our 6th National Astronomy Olympiad 2019: Logo Competition is already active and will accept entries till November 30, 2018! Click here to submit your logo.

This competition is designed to provide an opportunity for more people to get involved with our astronomy Olympiad program. It will also provide the platform to share their creativity at the national, regional and global level! Anyone who wants to share their creativity and wish to get national and international exposure can submit their work. 

Rules and regulations: 

• The logo must include the following themes: Astronomy, Education & Nepal and should reflect the 6th National Astronomy Olympiad 2019
• The submission is free of charge and one person can submit only one logo. 
• Submitted design must contain the original idea/creation of the designer. 
• The logo should be 600 x 600 pixels in size. 
• A designer must submit a description of his/her logo in no more than 100 words. Design without description will not be evaluated accepted for competition. 

Submission Deadline is November 30, 2018! Logo submitted after the deadline will not be evaluated.

For more information about national astronomy olympiad program, visit: www.nepalastronomicalsociety.org/olympiad

NASO and MECH Engineering Sign MoU for better Astronomy Outreach in Nepal!

We are pleased to announce that we signed a MoU with MECH Engineering and Trading Pvt. Ltd. today at its office to strengthen our astronomy outreach in Nepal for the next three years! MECH Engineering has been selling quality telescopes especially SkyWatcher and Celestron brands in the Nepali market.

Photo: Mr. Suresh Bhattarai, Chairman at Nepal Astronomical Society (NASO) and Er. Arket Raj Maharjan, Managing Director at MECH Engineering and Trading Pvt. Ltd. after the MoU signing ceremony at MECH Engineering office. Credit: Manisha Dwa/NASO

As a part of the MoU, MECH Engineering will be sponsoring 60 mm telescope for the winner of the National Space Art Competition till 2020. The winner of the 2nd National Space Art Competition 2018 will receive the first of three telescopes this year! Excited to know who will receive the telescope? Stay tuned with us!

NASO and MECH Engineering started working together since 2014 beginning of the first National Astronomy Olympiad 2014 (NAO2014) where Er. Maharjan hosted telescope orientation and handling sessions to closed camp students. Click here to know MECH Engineering and its services.

We believe, this event has opened an era of partnership between the astronomical community and business groups in Nepal. Following the preparation for the celebration of IAU100 next year, it is considered as one of the progressive efforts by the Nepali community to be a part of the global celebration.

5th National Astronomy Olympiad 2018 Conlcudes with two internaional participations!

The 5th National Astronomy Olympiad held this year concluded with two international participation! This year Students qualified for the international Olympiads were facilitated to participate at the 23rd International Astronomy Olympiad 2018 (IAO2018) in Colombo, Sri-Lanka & the 12th International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics 2018 (IOAA2018) in Beijing, China respectively.

Mr. Bishal Baral (6th at NAO2018), Rato Bangala School, Patan and Mr. Hardik Shrestha (8th at NAO2018) at the 23rd International Astronomy Olympiad, October 6-14, 2018, Colombo, Sri-Lanka. Mr. Baral received a special award for the best result among the newly participating countries for Nepal.

Photo 1: Team Nepal at the 23rd International Astronomy Olympiad (XXIII IAO), October 4-14, 2018, Colombo, Sri Lanka. From left: Mr. Manisha Dwa, Mr. Hardik Shrestha, Mr. Bishal Baral, Mr. Suresh Bhattarai respectively.

Photo 2: Team Nepal during a team parade at the 23rd International Astronomy Olympiad (XXIII IAO), October 6-14, 2018, Colombo, Sri Lanka.

Top five students at the 5th NAO2018 participated at the 12th International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics, Beijing, China, November 3-11, 2018. Though we could not receive any awards at this Olympiad, our students had their consistent performance. Team Nepal members were Mr. Shronim Tiwari, Capital College and Research Centre (CCRC), Kathmandu; Mr. Bedant Lohani, Rato Bangala School, Patan; Mr. Shubham Sharma, Budhanilkantha School, Kathmandu; Mr. Rubek Poudel, Arniko Higher Secondary School, Biratnagar, and Mr. Pratik Bhandari, The Times International College respectively.

Photo 3: Team Nepal during a team parade at the 12th International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA2018), November 3-11, 2018, Beijing, China.

Photo 4: Team Nepal at the 12th International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA2018), November 3-11, 2018, Beijing, China. From left: Ms. Manisha Dwa & Mr. Suresh Bhattarai (Front row), Mr. Bedant Lohani, Mr. Pratik Bhandari, Mr. Rubek Poudel, Mr. Shronim Tiwari and Mr. Shubham Sharma respectively.

National Astronomy Olympiad (NAO) program is an early talent hunt program for the high school students of age 14-20 years. It creates a merit list of the students qualified for the two international olympiads: International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA),  International Astronomy Olympiad (IAO) & regional olympiad: Asian-Pacific Astronomy Olympiad (APAO) respectively.

For more information about National Astronomy Olympiad (NAO) program in Nepal, please visit www.nepalastronomicalsociety.org/olympiad.

NASO at XXXth General Assembly of International Astronomical Union in August 2018!

Our participation at the XXX General Assembly of International Astronomical Union at Vienna, Austria during August 20-31, 2018 remained very successful with many developments!

Below are the highlights of our participation at the IAU2018 this year!

Observation of the IAU GA: 

Unlike last year, we took active observer role at the IAU election which helped us to understand the process of election and the procedure of the formalities. It also helped us to be informed about the new membership scheme at IAU: Junior membership for the fresh Ph.D. graduate. 

Photo: A Panel of newly appointed executives of IAU for the year 2018-2021.

Meeting with Newly Appointed President of IAU:

We had a quick meeting with the newly elected president of IAU Prof. Dr. Ewine F. van Dishoeck and was very impressed with her observation of our activities in Nepal. After the interaction with her, we found that though Nepal is not an institutional member at IAU and there is no individual member from Nepal, IAU has put special attention towards Nepal. We invited her to visit Nepal during her tenure. 

Photo: Mr. Suresh Bhattarai, Chairman at Ms. Manisha Dwa, project coordinator at NASO with Prof. Dr. Prof. Dr. Ewine F. van Dishoeck during at IAU GA2018.

Poster Presentation:

We had two posters during the second week of the meeting as a part of the Office of IAU Astronomy for Development (OAD) where we explained our activities to the audience. The posters help us to meet many people with similar interest and search for possible future collaborations.

Photo 3: Ms. Manisha Dwa, project coordinator at Nepal Astronomical Society (NASO) with the visitor to her poster after the explanation. 

Photo 4: Mr. Suresh Bhattarai, Chairman at Nepal Astronomical Society (NASO) during his poster presentation.

Meeting with Scientific Advisors: 

During the meeting, we had met with our scientific advisors Prof. Dr. Edward Guinan and Prof. Dr. Michele Gerbaldi and discussed/review the past activities and discuss future activities. Our discussion was mainly focused on the research projects/works for the university level students in Nepal.

Meeting with potential partners and collaborators:

During the meeting, we met many people and discussed the possibility of joint initiatives in the future. We had met with the representative from IAU100, IUCAA, IAU, OAD, OAO, Globe at Night, GTTP/GHOU, OAE (proposed) and researchers from different universities. 

Meeting at Nepali Embassy in Vienna:

We had pleasure meeting H.E. Mr. Prakash Kumar Suvedi, Ambassador for Embassy of Nepal in Vienna and Permanent Mission of Nepal to the United Nations and other international organisations in Vienna, Austria.

Photo 5: Mr. Suresh Bhattarai, Chairman at Nepal Astronomical Society (NASO) with H.E. Mr. Prakash Kumar Suvedi, Ambassador for Embassy of Nepal in Vienna and Permanent Mission of Nepal to United Nations and other international organizations in Vienna, Austria. Credit: Manisha Dwa/NASO

During the meeting, we discussed the need of Nepal's membership at United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (UN COPUOS), International Astronomical Union (IAU) in order to foster space science and astronomy/astrophysics research activities in Nepal. We highlighted the importance of the memberships of these organizations to Nepal. H.E. explained that the membership procedure for the UNCOPUOS is in the positive direction and soon Nepal will be a member officially. He explained it is now much easier for the permanent mission to look into such opportunities after the mission office has been shifted from Gevena, Switzerland. 

We also had met with participants from Nepal: Mr. Jayanta Acharya-National Outreach Coordinator (NOC) at IAU Office of Astronomy for Outreach (OAO), Mr. Devendra Raj Upadhyay- Assistant Professor at Amrit Campus (ASCOL), Tribhuvan University(TU) and Mr. Bindesh Tripathi, undergraduate student at St. Xavier's College, Maitighar, Tribhuvan University (TU).

We would like to thank IAU officials for providing us the financial support for our successful participation. We would also like to thank Mr. Narayan Dhital, GNSS group lead at NASO currently working at DLR, Germany for the logistics!

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.

Astrofest Nepal 2018: Look upward to unravel the mistery!

On the occasion of Global Astronomy Month (GAM), Central Department of Physics (CDP) organized AstroFest Nepal 2018 at Department premises, Kirtipur on April 22, 2018. The event was supported by B.P. Koirala Memorial Planetarium, Observatory and Science Museum Development Board, Nepal Astronomical Society (NASO), Pokhara Astronomical Society (PAS) and Beyond Apogee.

Photo: NASO volunteers conducting lunar observation sessions during AstroFest Nepal 2018 at Central Department of Physics, Tribhuvan University (TU) on April 22, 2018.

During this event students got chance to know about cosmology studies from Dr Uday Raj Khanal.  His speech on the topic of cosmology and astronomy gave new insight to the world of astronomy. Also the talk session of Dr Binil Aryal (Head of Central Department of Physics) helped student to know about current condition of physics and astronomy in Nepal. The presentation of Mr Suresh Bhattarai (Chairman of NASO) helped student to know about astronomy, engineering and outreach projects handled by NASO team for promotion and implementation of science and technology. Sabin Gautam (Treasurer of PAS) presented the ideas and activities of Pokhara Astronomical Society. Sudip Vikram Adhikari (Chairman of Beyond Apogee) presented the idea of CAN Satellite which could be easily programmed by school level students too which they termed as Sajilo Satellite.

For recreational and talent exposure purpose many student of department of physics presented their poems related to universe and astronomy. Various posters and quotes of scientific minds could be seen on the premise of the college too. The event was attended by around hundred students and visitors. After 5:00 PM observation session was jointly organized by CDP, NASO and PAS in which visitors got chance to observe the Moon and Venus. Also visitors were informed about the types of telescopes used for the observation.

This event thus helped the student and visitors to know about the astronomy, cosmology, physics study in Nepal and the activities related to these topics done by various organizations for promoting and implementing science in Nepal.

The Global Astronomy Month (GAM) is the largest global celebration of astronomy, celebrated every year in April by organizing different astronomical events like Astro-art, Astro-star party, Astro-poetry, Astro-concert etc. The motto of the GAM is to bring interested people together to encourage participation in programs related to astronomy and astrophysics. The main aim of conducting this event is to bring new opportunities for interested and enthusiastic persons to celebrate the Global Astronomy Month. 

Workshop in Astronomy & Astrophysics Research on February 27, 2018!

As a part of our new initiative 'Developing Astronomical Skills in Nepal' approved and partially supported by the International Astronomical Union (IAU), we in association with Nepal Academy of Science and Technology (NAST) are hosting a one day 'Workshop in Astronomy and Astrophysics Research' for 3rd Year students (preferably taking space science and interested to do projects in space science and astronomy/astrophysics in 4th Year) and B.Sc. 4th year students (preferably doing projects in astronomy/astrophysics or space science) of 4-Year B.Sc. program of Tribhuvan University, Kathmandu University and other universities of our Nation.

*** Click Here For Registration ***

Interested students are requested to complete their registrations by no later than Friday, February 23, 2018! The travel grant decision will be available by Sunday, February 25, 2018. 

*** Click Here For Registration ***

Registration fee is NRs. 100/- only. For registration, call Suresh Bhattarai at 9818734326. You can either pay the registration fee to of your faculty who shared this info to you or pay directly to us via Esewa (ID:9818734326) fund transfer with remarks: workshop registration fee!

Note: Limited partial/full travel grant is available for deserving students. Women are especially encouraged to apply!

The workshop will select 15 students who will be invited for a week long summer school in May-June 2018 to be held in Kathmandu (proposed).

*** Click Here For Registration ***

For any queries, please feel free to call/text us at 01-4110344 / 9818734326 or email us at contact@nepalastronomicalsociety.org .

5th National Astronomy Olympiad is accepting application till February 15, 2018!

One of the most exciting national science olympiads in Nepal will closes registration from the eligible students on February 15, 2018!

Interested and eligible student can download the application from via www.nepalastronomicalsociety.org/olympiad

• Regular Registration fee: 1,000/-
• Regular Deadline: Friday, February 9, 2018
• Late Registration fee: 1,100/- 
• Extended Deadline: Thursday, February 15, 2018

The pre-selection (first round) of the most awaited 5th National Astronomy Olympiad 2018 will be held on Saturday, February 17, 2018 at six different cities of Nepal! Dhangadi being the new addition to the list will provide an opportunity for the students in province 6 & 7 to join the competition.

Students from province one can appear for the examination in Biratnagar. We are hosting the exam in province 1 since 2014!

How to apply at NAO2018?

• Download Application Form and Handbook from www.nepalastronomicalsociety.org/olympiad
• Go through the handbook to know details of the program, model questions, syllabus, schedule, etc and most importantly contact details of our focal point in your region.
• Prepare your application carefully (DO NOT LEAVE THE MOTIVATION SECTION EMPTY).
• Visit one of the branches of Megha Bank Ltd. nearby you to deposit the application fee.
• Submit your complete application documents (application form, application fee payment bank deposit slip, copies of SEE marksheet and charecter certificate)

Want to know more? Watch our promotional video below or download NAO2018 Handbook from www.nepalastronomicalsociety.org/olympiad now!

What's new? Now you can collect your NAO2018 T-shirt with your registration fee! If you have already submitted the application but have not collected the T-shirt, contact our application center where you submitted your application. 

How to collect the T-shirt?

• Submit your application and tell our collection center your size: L or XL. You can receive your T-shirt on the same day or within a week depending on the collector center and availability of your data to our office in Kathmandu. 

Hurry up and submit your application today!

For more information: www.nepalastronomicalsociety.org/olympiad

Get Ready for the 5th National Astronomy Olympiad on February 17, 2018!

Following the great success of our previous versions of the olympiad in 2014, 2015, 2016 and 2017; the application for the 5th National Astronomy Olympiad was opened on December 10, 2017! This year, we will have exam centers at Biratagar, Chitwan, Kathmandu, Pokhara, Butwal and Dhangadi. We are adding one major cities each year so that students have better access to this program in Nepal.

***NAO2018 Application Form and Handbook from our website: www.nepalastronomicalsociety.org/olympiad ***

How to apply at NAO2018?

• Download Application Form and Handbook from www.nepalastronomicalsociety.org/olympiad
• Go through the handbook to know details of the program, model questions, syllabus, schedule, etc and most importantly contact details of our focal point in your region.
• Prepare your application (DO NOT LEAVE THE MOTIVATION SECTION EMPTY) carefully.
• Visit one of the branches of Megha Bank Ltd. nearby you to deposit the application fee.
• Submit your complete application documents (application form, application fee payment bank deposit slip, copies of SEE marksheet and charecter certificate)

 Currently Nepal has three National Science Olympiads: Physics, Astronomy & Mathematics that go to International Olympiads. You can get registration details about Physics and Mathematics Olympiads on their respective websites.

National Astronomy Olympiad started in 2014 and growing slowly providing a better opportunity to the participants to learn from each others during its closed camp sessions.

In December, orientation programs on astronomy olympiad program were held in Chitwan and Pokhara providing interested students to know more about the program in person.

Photo 1: Orientation program held on December 30, 2017 at Panaroma Institute, Hakimchowk, Baratpur, Chitwan

Photo 2: Orientation program held on December 31, 2017 at Quantum Leap, Mahendrapool, Pokhara, Kaski.

Students can visit any of the application centers listed in NAO2018 Handbook to get more information about the program.

***NAO2018 Application Form and Handbook from our website: www.nepalastronomicalsociety.org/olympiad ***

As a student need to deposit the application fee at Bank and include slip in the application, we strongly encourage interested students to complete their application before the deadline! 

Photo 3: NAO2018 T-shirt to each registered participants from Nepal Astronomical Society (NASO).

How to collect the T-shirt?

• Submit your application and tell our collection center your size: L or XL. You can receive your T-shirt on the same day or within a week depending on the collector center and availability of your data to our office in Kathmandu. 

Application Opens for the 5th National Astronomy Olympiad 2018!

We are pleased to open the application for the 5th National Astronomy Olympiad 2018 in Nepal! Interested students who are currently studying at high school or completed high school and will join the university program in 2018 can participate in the program. Participant should not be more than 20 years old by June 30, 2018!

The first round of selection will be held at different cities on Saturday, February 17, 2018! The application deadline is Friday, February 9, 2018.

NAO2018 Application Form and Handbook are now available at www.nepalastronomicalsociety.org/olympiad

Currently, we have five application centers located in Biratnagar, Kathmandu, Chitwan, Pokhara and Butwal. Details on the application centers, contact persons and contact details are listed below: 

Interested to know more about our olympiad program? Please feel free to contact our office (41103440 for an orientation program at your college/city!

A Decade of Astronomy & Space Science: Celebrating 10th Anniversary in Nepal

We celebrated our 10th Anniversary today with our volunteers, members and high students at Ankur Vidhyashram. The journey was definately not an easy one, but we learnt a lot through this decedal experience and look forward to implement our experience to create better opportunities for the youth and students in Nepal.

Mr. Pushpa Raj Sapkota, chief guest of the event  and principal at Ankur Vidhyashram praised our work engaging school students in our different activities and shared the improvement in their classroom behaviour. He also requested us to help students to guide them to their astronomy discussion forum that they are going to organized during October-November 2017.

Photo 1: Mr. Suresh Bhattarai, chairman at NASO sharing the major achievements with the participants of the gathering. (From left: Mr. Suresh Bhattarai, Mr. Pushpa Raj Sapkota, Mr. Samaya Khadka)

During the event, Mr. Samaya Khadka,one of the closed camp participants of our 4th National Astronomy Olympiad 2017 shared his experience at our astronomy olympiad to the students. He also explain the need of science communication with public and students to make science a fun.

National Astronomy Olympiad program was initiated in 2014 and become of the fastest growing talent hunt program in Nepal with its holistic approach to select students as a national winners!

Photo 2: Group photo of the participants of the gathering after the cake cutting ceremony

During the event, we also discussed on some of our proposed initiatives/programs and how we can make them more compatible to our students. We highlighted the need of more capacity building programs in coming days to strengthen our network in Nepal and abroad creating more opportunities for our youths and students.

Photo 3: Sudip Bhattrai, Assistant Professor, Aerospace at IOE, Pulchowk and Mr. Suresh Bhattarai, Chairman brainstroming on how we can improve our space programs in coming days

As we realised unless we train our students to build their confidence as well as skills we are not going to help for the development, we decided to partner with different academic institutions in Nepal and organizations in Nepal and abroad. We have already tested some of our academic partnership projects with engineering students at TU and we look forward to implement our program/s for physics students at TU in coming days.

We would like to express our sincere thanks to all our executives, members and well-wishers for their contribution to make this day a reality!

Winners of 'Student Drawing Workshop on Lunar Exploration 2016' Will Be Awarded on April 12, 2017!

In February, 2016, we organised student drawing workshop on lunar exploration where students expressed their ideas on their perception of lunar exploration! Among all the participants four students were identifed as the winners and scheduled to be awarded during April 2016 as a part of our celebration of International Day of Cosmonautics and Aviation at Russian Center of Science and Culture (RCSC)-Kathmandu.

This month, those students who did their best performance during the workshop will be awarded on Wednesday, April 12, 2017 at a special ceremony at RCSC-Kathmandu as a part of our celebration of International Day of Human Space Flight 2017 in Nepal.

Want to know the winners and their drawings? Here you go:

First Position: Aayushi Sapkota (10), class 4, Ankur Vidhyashram, Bijay Chowk, Gausala, Kathmandu

Second Position: Rabgyen Sonam Moktan (10), class 4, The Insight Vision Higher Scondary School, Sukedhara, Kathmandu.

Third Position: Rajaram Khatiwada (12), class 4, The Celebration Co-Ed School, Jorpati, Kathmandu

Forth Position: Susan Magar (12), class 4, Ankur Vidhyashram, Bijay Chowk, Gausala, Kathmandu

Selected students will be awarded certificates and medals on April 12, 2017 at RCSC, Kathmandu during a special program to celebrate International Day of Human Space Flight 2017.