Antariksh Archives

This internal talk delved into sunspots, which are dark patches on the Sun's photosphere formed due to intricate magnetic fields and temperature decreases. It covered their formation process, the Sun's structure, and historical observations from early astronomers like Galileo to contemporary findings. The discussion included the butterfly diagram, illustrating the 11-year solar cycle and the correlation between sunspots and solar activity. Additionally, it addressed phenomena such as coronal mass ejections (CMEs) and solar flares, which can create geomagnetic storms and breathtaking auroras on Earth. Overall, grasping sunspots is vital for comprehending solar dynamics and their effects on our planet.

The Antariksh Astronomy Club held an insightful talk on the Crab Pulsar, emphasizing its significance in neutron star studies. The presentation began with the life cycle of stars, explaining that massive stars end as white dwarfs, neutron stars, or black holes. It detailed neutron star formation, the discovery of pulsars by Jocelyn Bell in 1967, and the characteristics of the Crab Pulsar, which rotates 30.2 times per second within the Crab Nebula. Recent advancements include observations from ISRO's XPoSat mission, further enriching our understanding of neutron stars and their associated phenomena.

On August 23, 2024, Antariksh Club celebrated National Space Day at Vishwakarma Vidyalaya, engaging 120 students. The event focused on India's space journey, featuring presentations on ISRO's history, key missions like Chandrayaan and Mangalyaan, and contributions from pioneers like Aryabhatta and Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam. Highlights included a rover demonstration, interactive trivia, and discussions on future space missions like Gaganyaan and Aditya-L1. The event inspired students to explore careers in space science and honored ISRO's contributions to India's space endeavors.

The Aditya L1 mission represents India’s inaugural venture into solar observation through a space-based platform, aimed at enhancing our understanding of the Sun's dynamics and its impact on space weather. Launched on September 2, 2023, the spacecraft is strategically positioned at the Lagrange point 1 (L1) of the Sun-Earth system, enabling continuous observation of solar phenomena without interruptions from eclipses. The mission is equipped with seven scientific payloads, including the Solar Ultraviolet Imaging Telescope (SUIT), which has successfully captured unprecedented full-disk images of the Sun in the ultraviolet spectrum. These observations provide critical insights into solar atmospheric dynamics, the initiation of solar flares, and the overall behavior of solar particles. The collaboration among various Indian scientific institutions underscores the mission's significance in advancing solar research and contributes to the global understanding of heliophysics and its implications for Earth’s climate.

This report provides an overview of the Affordable Small Radio Telescope (ASRT) demonstration conducted during the National Science Day open house at the Inter-University Center for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) on February 28, 2024. The ASRT operates within the Ku-band (12-16 GHz) of the radio spectrum and is designed to be cost-effective and easily replicable using off-the-shelf components. The primary objective of the ASRT is to observe solar emissions, leveraging the sun as a nearby star that emits radiation across all wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum. The report discusses the architecture and working principles of the ASRT, detailing its components such as the satellite dish antenna, satellite finder, mechanical mount, and electrical connections. The demonstration showcased the telescope's capability to conduct solar drift scans, providing valuable data about solar activity. The report emphasizes the potential of affordable radio telescopes like the ASRT to broaden access to advanced scientific research and highlights the contributions of various Indian institutes in solar observations.