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Regional Science Centre & Planetarium (RSCP), Calicut in association with Public Outreach and Education Committee of Astronomical Society of India (POEC - ASI) intends to organise a monthly webinar titled ‘AstroAdda’. Adda is a term borrowed from Bangla/ Marathi meaning any form of interactive discussion in an informal environment. So, the aim of this webinar is to discuss current astronomical knowledge and understanding involving a astronomer in an informal virtual gathering. In practice, the speaker delivers on a specific topic for say about 40 minutes and then the same is discussed by the participants in a semi popular lore along with the speaker.

The programme can be scheduled any day of the month between 5 pm and 6 pm. Participation to this programme is not restricted with respect to age, gender or educational background. The programme is scheduled using GoogleMeet platform.

The speaker is at liberty to choose any topic broadly under the purview of astronomy on which he/ she works and deliver on the same using multimedia slides. A poster will be prepared and released prior to the webinar towards publicity and broader participation.

 

ASTRO ADDA | March 2022

Title: Feeding Supermassive Blackholes

Speaker: Neeraj Gupta, IUCAA, Pune

Video Link: https://youtu.be/Tpn2mUcDEvM

Abstract:

Active Galactic Nuclei (AGN) radiate across the entire electromagnetic spectrum.  Their extreme energy output is due to accretion of matter onto a supermassive black hole at the centre of a galaxy. The radiative and mechanical feedback from AGNs is powerful enough to influence the properties of the host galaxy and its extended environment.  In fact, AGN feedback is an essential ingredient to explain the observed properties of galaxies in the universe.  In this talk, we will discuss processes through which AGNs may be fed and the recent observational results, especially at radio wavelengths, related to these highly energetic objects.

 

ASTRO ADDA | February 2022

Title: Why Einstein (Had I been born in 1844!)?: Relativity for everyone

Speaker: Naresh Dadhich, IUCAA, Pune

Video Link: https://youtu.be/SzHLeGpCR5E

Abstract:

By employing the common-sense arguments and considerations, I would like to transmit the basic message of Einstein without use of any mathematics and not much of physics either. 

 

ASTRO ADDA | January 2022

Title: Some Unusual records in stone inscriptions

Speaker: Shylaja B S, JN Planetarium, Bangalore

Video Link: https://youtu.be/gigELgQOilc

Abstract:

Stone inscriptions have always been of immense value for historians and sociologists as reliable records of time. In the process they serve another purpose as records of celestial events. The most common records ones are of eclipses both solar and lunar. Here the important results arrived at from these inscriptions will be discussed. Apart from eclipses and planetary conjunctions, some unique records on supernova of 1604 and 1572, an earthquake, drawing of a Vedhi described in Sulba Sutra and the evolution of the multi-language culture of the city of Bengaluru will be discussed.

 

ASTRO ADDA | December 2021

Title: Is Solar System Unique?

Speaker: Ravinder K Banyal, IIA, Bangalore

Video Link: https://youtu.be/16-YlgeXJFE

Abstract:

Planets in our solar system follow a specific pattern –with four rocky planets residing in the inner part,  massive gas giants Jupiter & Saturn claiming the middle and the icy Neptune & Uranus being relegated to the outer regions. To our surprise, thousands of planets
discovered around other stars exhibit enormous diversity with none resembling the distribution and architecture of the Solar system. These findings have revived the old debate. Is our Solar system unique? Is Earth special? Is the Copernican mediocrity principle at stake? Or the apparent oddity of the Solar system just happens to be an observational bias, subjected to change in future? In this popular talk, I will discuss all that we know so far about the exoplanets and how our Solar system compares to them.

 

ASTRO ADDA | November 2021

Title: Cosmic Cannibals – The story of galaxy evolution

Speaker: Ravikumar CD, Calicut University, Calicut

Video Link: https://youtu.be/p24IJl8xjKo

Abstract:

The speaker briefly introduces the world of galaxies. Galaxies, the building blocks of the Universe, come in a wide variety of shapes and sizes. We do not understand fully how these galaxies evolve. The speaker discusses possible scenarios in the formation and evolution of galaxies, in an attempt to explain the diverse properties displayed by these gigantic objects in the sky.

 

ASTRO ADDA | October 2021

Title: Doubly Einstein! Gravitational lensing of gravitational waves

Speaker: Ajith Parameswaran, ICTS, TIFR, Bangalore, India 

Video Link: https://youtu.be/lesCqeIxF8Y

Abstract:

Gravitational bending of light was the first observational test that heralded the remarkable success of Einstein’s general theory of relativity. In the last few decades, gravitational lensing of light has emerged as a powerful tool for astronomy. Gravitational waves (GWs) are also expected to be lensed similar to light. Dozens of GW signals from coalescing compact binaries have been observed by LIGO and Virgo so far. In the next few years thousands of such observations are expected. Some of these GWs will be lensed by intervening objects such as galaxies. This talk will summarise the prospects of detecting lensing signatures in GWs and will discuss some of the potential new probes such observations will enable. 

 

ASTRO ADDA | September 2021

Title: Counting Photons in the Universe

Speaker: Vikram Khaire, IIST, Thiruvananthapuram

Video Link: https://youtu.be/3moxCErnPLA

Abstract

When we look at stars and galaxies with our eyes or sophisticated telescopes, we look for photons emitted by them in the whole electromagnetic spectrum. These photons generate uniform background radiation also called the extragalactic background light. Speaker will discuss how to count these photons and study such a background light which not only fills the entire Universe but also affects how galaxies form and contain information on our Universe's evolution. 

 

ASTRO ADDA | August 2021

Title: Tribal Astronomy

Speaker: Mayank Vahia, NMIMS, Mumbai

Video Link: https://youtu.be/WQCFdYLa80M

Abstract

Tribal groups are mostly detached from the modern social fabric of urban – rural structure.  To analyze the sociology of their knowledge domain, or more accurately, of beliefs we need to study each and every groups through shadow observations, interactions through mediators and other alternative methods. The study is mainly focused to ascertain the distinction between belief, which is a naturalistic notion, and knowledge or rational belief, which are normative notions in that they involve rationality conditions such as reasons and justifications for belief, or coherence of belief.

For example, Gonds have one of the most complex perspective of the sky while the Cholanayakkans from Kerala could correlate the presence of day with the sun. We will discuss the astronomical beliefs of several tribes in India and analyse their beliefs against other parameters of their lifestyle.

 

ASTRO ADDA | July 2021

Title: Minor Bodies in the Solar System

Speaker: Aravind Paranjpye

Video Link: https://youtu.be/yJqmvDfjmhE

Abstract:

The small bodies of the Solar System (asteroids, comets, Kuiper belt objects, icy moons, rings, and dust) represent archives of the state of the proto-solar disk at various times and places during the history of our Solar System’s formation. Researchers study the physical properties of these objects using ground-based and space-based telescopes, in-situ spacecraft investigations, and numerical simulations of their formation and evolution.  By combining visible light photometry and spectra, infrared radiometry, radar observations, surface composition maps, and dynamical evolution, a more complete picture of the compositions of these bodies, their histories, and their futures can be constructed. In this talk, we will discuss the minor bodies in the Solar System.

 

ASTRO ADDA | June 2021

Title:  A Journey to the Sun

Speaker: Rakesh Mazumber

Video Link: https://youtu.be/0veGt06OFDI

Abstract:

The Sun is a 4.5 billion-year-old yellow dwarf star – a hot glowing ball of hydrogen and helium – at the center of our solar system. It’s about 150 million kilometres from Earth and it’s our solar system’s only star. Without the Sun’s energy, life as we know it could not exist on our home planet.

From our vantage point on Earth, the Sun may appear like an unchanging source of light and heat in the sky. But the Sun is a dynamic star, constantly changing and sending energy out into space. In this talk we will be discussing some aspects of the physics of Sun.