Galileo Teacher Training Program 2015

Galileo Teacher Training program- 2015 is organized by Pokhara Astronomical Society (PAS) in support with Kumudini Homes Higher Secondary School, Pokhara, Nepal, on 25-26^th September 2015. The program was conducted in Association with Global Hands-on Universe (GHOU) and Nepal Academy of Geo and Space Science (NAGSS). The Workshop was followed by hands-on activities like Telescope and constellation model making and Night Sky observation. The observation was from 6:00 PM to till 8:00PM in the school premises.

Altogether 30 Science teachers, including experts and communicators from the different schools of Pokhara participated in GTTP-2015. There were Seven Workshops‚ discussion session and assignments session organized during the program. 

The first day of the workshop of the event was on “Measuring Distance Salsa J image processing”. The main objective is to help teachers understand how to use imaging in Salsa J by measuring the moon and its craters and comparing them to the size of Earth and Nepal.

Teachers were assigned some work to calculate the diameter of moon and compare with the area of Nepal. Hands on activities to make our own refractive telescope using hard tube and lenses were taught during the event.

The Second Workshop of the event was “Simulation Practices using Stellarium. The main objective of this workshop is to give an overview of eclipses and to bring eclipses into the classroom using computers. 

The third workshop of the event was on “Telescopes Optics and Control”. The main objective was to help teachers understand telescopes and their handing and to help teachers bring the use of telescopes to the classroom. Groups formed in the workshops were assigned to use the robotic telescopes at Micro Observatory to photograph Moon‚ Jupiter‚ Venus‚ Orion Nebula‚ Pleiades and Andromeda Galaxy.

The fourth Workshop of the event was Stellarium: position of Sun versus time and season.

All the participants were provided with GTTP Certificates, session handouts, and software programs including Salsa J, Cybersky‚ and Nightvision. 

Astronomy outreach to Himali Secondary Boarding School, Bhorletar, Lamjung

Pokhara Astronomical Society successfully conducted outreach program outside the valley in Himali Secondary Boarding School, Bhorletar, Lamjung on January 5, 2015. Mr. Mahesh Thakuri, President of PAS, presented his talks on Solar System Wonders and Night Sky Observation Techniques. More than hundred students of average age groups 15 to 16 years participated on the programs; Workshop on the fascinating Moon, The world of Constellation was demonstrated among the students and teachers by Mr. Suman Gautam, the student ambassador for EU-UNAWE.  The workshop program was followed by the Night Sky observation session.

Astronomy outreach to Ganodaya Boarding School Rankhola, Syangja,

Two days workshop followed by water rocket events was successfully conducted on Ganodaya Boarding School Rankhola, Syangja, which is 50 km south from the valley on December 4 and 5, 2014. Three different Events were organized to three different levels, Primary, Lower Secondary and Secondary. “Workshop on Fascinating moon”, “Constellation model” followed by Solar observation was conducted to the primary level students of average age (8 years ) ,“Earth – Sun Relation” and presentation on  “Mars Exploration History” was conducted to the respective levels to give the  concept on Astronomy. Program was inaugurated by the chairman Mr Ganu Thakuri by playing the message from Erik Arends from International office. Program was conducted by Suman Gautam Project Coordinator of PAS and member Ashish Poudel with support from EU-UNAWE.

Power point presentation 

Students viewing the
Sun through Solar glasses

Students viewing the 
Sun through Solar glasses

PAS team with schools family