ASTROSOC 89 Q: And then you made it to NASA! It’s a dream of anyone who loves astronomy to join NASA. If we hear how you joined it, hopefully it will shed some light on our path to NASA as well. NASA has so many people doing so many different things and there are chances for so many people to work at NASA. There are a lot of students from around the world who end up coming to the US in order to go to postgraduate studies, and a lot of these students, when they are in schools, like PhD programs for instance, are funded by NASA. So they get to work in NASA projects as postgraduate students. In fact, NASA is the biggest group that funds astronomy in the US and most of the astronomy research projects that happen at universities have NASA involvement. When I was in graduate school I started working on some NASA related projects. After I finished with my Ph.D., I moved around a little bit, got to work on different projects, and then eventually ended up joining NASA headquarters. So as I said, there are a lot of people who work at NASA and work on NASA projects, and anybody can do that. Q: That’s great to hear, because that’s a goal that most of us have. And for a Sri Lankan undergraduate who would like to work in the field of astronomy in the future, what areas can they choose to do their undergraduate research project on? There are a lot of different projects that undergraduates can do in astronomy. Some of them are based on observations, for instance, one of the projects I’ve been involved with is looking at occultations by asteroids. That’s where an asteroid passes in front of the star and the star disappears a little bit then comes back. When you observe that, you can actually measure the size, shape, and position of the asteroid really well, better than you could do otherwise with a telescope. There are many projects that are based on looking at data from NASA missions or working to model something, like modeling the atmosphere from planet Earth, modeling the rings of Saturn, modeling how Mars’ core has evolved, and things like that. These are the sorts of projects that a lot of people are involved with, although I’m not running any of these projects myself right now. I think that as a student in Sri Lanka, being able to be familiar with telescopes, all of the NASA data is actually available for free, so being able to look at some of that data and analyze it, are a few things that you can do. It’s one thing that NASA does, it provides all of the data that’s produced by all of its missions for free to the whole world. You can download the data from these missions; missions that have gone to Pluto, Saturn, and Jupiter. You can download those images, process them, and analyze them. It’s a lot of work to come up with all of the modeling, but you can start by looking at the data. Q: Working in the field of astronomy might sometimes sound serious and stressful because you’re working with million and billion dollar projects. As someone who has worked in multiple projects in NASA, what was your mechanism to tackle these stressful situations? It’s super exciting! All these projects are just super inspiring. We work only on a part of the project. In all these projects I’ve been a very small part of it, because there are so many people working on their own individual part in a mission. You know, I was working on the New Horizons mission. This is the mission that went out to Pluto and I was involved in looking for rings and looking for dust. I wasn’t involved in doing all the geology studies on Pluto, I wasn’t involved in the operations of the spacecraft, I wasn’t involved in the software on the spacecraft. I was just involved in analyzing some of the data, and in looking at if we could detect the rings, moons, or dust particles there. So everybody has their own focus area, but it’s inspiring when you see the whole big picture. These are all teams, and teamwork is the most important thing. ASTROSOC 89
ASTROSOC 90 Q: In a world with rapidly developing artificial intelligence, how does it affect the field of astronomy? So I think NASA sometimes talks about the autonomy of the spacecraft for instance. Autonomy is how much can the spacecraft take care of itself. In the past the answer was none. It doesn’t take care of itself. Everything it does, it does because we told it to, and it just follows the very set list of commands. But, spacecrafts are learning more and more to take care of themselves and operate more autonomously, operate independently of human aid. That means the spacecraft can go unattended for longer, without having humans to direct it. That means it can do more, it can deal with different situations more easily and more safely. Also if you look at a Mars rover on the surface of Mars that’s driving from one place to another, in the past we had to give it all of the commands for exactly how to move and exactly how to drive and turn. But in the present, you just tell the rover to go from one place to another place, and the rover will do all the driving by itself. So you can see much more of the surface and do it with fewer people. It can do a better job if it can figure out what to do, by itself. Q: That’s fascinating! So to compete with AI, we should become better scientists shouldn’t we? Do you think there were any special thinking patterns, or skills, that helped you to grow? What I like about doing science is just being curious and asking questions about the world around us. And so that’s what I do anywhere. Ask questions, try to understand why it’s working, try to understand the forces and the mechanism behind something, whether that’s on Earth or whether it’s in space. Those are the sorts of questions I ask when I look at things. Another thing is, when working on big projects you just always break things down into smaller projects. Even though the big project can be very large and seem overwhelming, you break things down into smaller projects and break down more so you can tackle those smaller projects. Q: I think that’s going to be helpful to all of us, regardless of what we are working on. So let me ask a more casual question: Among countless mysteries in this universe, what would you like to see being resolved first? The biggest question for me and a lot of people across the whole world is, are we alone in the universe? Is there life elsewhere? And you can answer that in two ways; one, is there life on the planets in our solar system: on Mars, on Venus, on the moons of Jupiter, on the moons of Saturn, but we don’t know the answer to that! We’ve visited each of these planets and moons but we don’t know the answer. We’ve never found life anywhere else in the solar system, we’ve only found life on Earth. And then there’s also the question, is there life beyond the solar system? Meaning, that when looking for radio signals from other stars and pulsars and things like that which are well beyond our solar system so we can’t travel there. We can use a spacecraft within our solar system and go to planets and that takes a couple of years. But we can’t use a spacecraft to go to other stars because that’s going to take millions of years to get there, so we just can’t do that with the time scales. But we really have a lot of interest in finding out whether we are the only ones here or not. Q: And what is the most mind-boggling fact about the cosmos that you would like to share with your friends? I think honestly it’s the fact that we don’t know if we are alone here or not. We’ve been here for a long time and we’ve been trying to answer that question for a long time. It’s such a basic fundamental question. And the universe is so huge. The galaxy has a hundred billion stars in it, and the universe has a hundred billion galaxies. You put that together, that’s 1022 different stars and there are so many possibilities out there, but yet we don’t know whether we’re alone or not. I think that’s maybe the most baffling thing about the universe. ASTROSOC 90
ASTROSOC 91 Q: Searching for extraterrestrial life is undoubtedly the most intriguing thing ever! Which brings us to the question, what are the missions that will take place in the future to find life within our solar system? NASA is doing a lot of projects relating to that. We had the OSIRIS-REx landing on the 24th of September. Did you watch it live? yes? Awesome! That’s really cool, because it was several million kilometers, and took about 7 years to bring about 500 g of rocks from the asteroid Bennu. Those rocks are kind of the same as what you get in a meteorite, but they’re different because they’re pristine, they haven’t been burned up in the atmosphere, they had not sat on the rain for a decade, so they’re going to tell us about the chemistry that was present at the beginning of our solar system. That’s the first time that we’ve been able to get samples like that. We’re really going to learn stuff that we haven’t been able to learn from any other place on Earth or anywhere else in the solar system. We have other missions, for instance we have this mission called Dragonfly. It’s going up to the moon of Saturn called Titan. I think that’s the coolest mission in the world. It’s a drone, an octocopter. It’s going to take off from the Earth in 2026 and land on the surface of Titan around 2034. Titan is probably the most Earth-like of any of the planets because it’s got a thick atmosphere and it’s got mountains, oceans, rivers, clouds, and all this geology going on, so it looks kind of like the Earth, but we’ve never really explored the surface. We did send one probe down before, it took like one picture of the surface. But this is the first time we get the ability to land in one place, take off from there, and land in another place, and study the whole area. Titan is probably the place in the solar system with the most complex chemistry going on, or one of the most complex, because its atmosphere just has all the complex chemistry, with all these organic molecules. It’s much colder than the Earth, so it’s not exactly like we’re going to find life like we have here on Titan, but we’re going to find a ton of interesting organic chemistry going on and maybe some of it will be related to the chemistry of life on Earth. So I can’t wait to go to Titan, and that’s just going to be so cool. Then we’ve got the Europa Clipper mission, which is going to take off next year. It’s going to orbit Jupiter, but make a lot of passes to Europa. And Europa is great, because it’s had warm oceans for four and a half billion years, so it might actually have life, which is like life on Earth. Maybe there will be whale sharks under the ice, swimming around. Maybe it’ll be fish, maybe it’ll be bacteria, maybe it’ll be nothing, we don’t know. But we know that, on Earth, life probably formed where there was lots of warm water, and that’s what we’ve got on Europa, lots of warm water. So that’s going to be just so cool to finally go out there and see. We’re not landing on the surface yet, that will be the next step, and the next step after that will be to send a submarine to go down below the surface and to go through the water, but we’re getting closer and closer and it’s going to be awesome. Q: We are slowly approaching the end of this interview. Last but not least, in your opinion, what are the qualities that a young scientist should possess for a successful journey? The most important thing is to do something that you enjoy doing. Because that’s what you’re going to be the best at. If people are really good at coding, if people are good at logically structuring a project, or if they’re really good at writing, or if they’re really good at building hardware for astronomy, whatever they are good at, that’s what they should pursue, because what they are going to excel at the most. Beyond that, being able to communicate your ideas, findings, and projects to other people, and working in a team is very important. Being able to logically structure something and lay out a plan, and follow that plan are the most important things. Thank you very much, Sir! I think knowing about these will be helpful for us to develop those skills in the future. Even Though the formal interview ended like that, Dr. Throop spent another good hour talking with the members gathered there, taking an interest in their fields of studies and giving his ideas on how we can go further within those areas. He also didn’t forget to visit the newest telescope of the society, sharing his knowledge about them with us. Just like that, it became a well-spent evening filled with knowledge and inspiration. Image credits: Dilated Time Photography Nipuni Wanniarachchi Level Four Undergraduate Faculty of Science. 91
ASTROSOC 92
ASTROSOC 93
ASTROSOC 94 On the 25th of January 2023, the astronomy enthusiasts who were gathered in the NPLT hall in the Department of Physics, Faculty of Science were overjoyed by the presence of a very special guest who was there to give us a glimpse on what it’s like to work on serious planetary missions by sharing his knowledge. Dr. Henry Throop is a Program Scientist in the Planetary Science Division at NASA whose research focuses on the outer solar system. As a part of the science team of the New Horizons Mission, which was launched to study Pluto, its moons and other Kuiper Belt objects, he had been involved in its historic encounters with Pluto in 2015. His talk on New Horizons and Beyond - A Seminar with Dr. Henry Throop “NASA’s New Horizons Mission to Pluto, the Kuiper Belt, and Beyond” took us on an adventurous, inspiring and awe-striking journey to the far end of the solar system. The crowd found themselves engrossed in curiosity and suspense while he was describing all the difficulties they faced during the mission. His presentation depicted how NASA achieved the hardest flyby they encountered, and how they celebrated those achievements, giving us goosebumps. He recounted how they made the mission a success despite the challenges and failures they met, giving us a key take home message; never to give up and to celebrate every moment. “We kept on trying and trying, until we nailed it!” Nipuni Wanniarachchi Level Four Undergraduate Faculty of Science. Image Credits : FOS media
ASTROSOC 95 An account on night sky observation camps organized by the Astronomical Society of University of Colombo. Nights Under Star Light Among the most exciting activities organized by the Astronomical Society of University of Colombo, night sky observation camps hold a major place. We, as members of the Astronomical Society, guided by Prof Chandana Jayaratne, aim to spend nights under the stars surrounded by curious young minds and show them a glimpse of the wonders of the universe through a telescope. The knowledge we share, be it through lectures or by outdoor activities, is incomparable to the usuals they learn about astronomy in their classrooms. Before diving into the night camps we have held in the period of a year, it will be best to give an idea about how we organize a night camp. A typical night camp goes from 6.00 pm until 6.00 am of the next day. We pack these 12 hours with lectures, demonstrations on telescopes, planetary and deep sky object observation sessions and fun games and activities and make sure our audience is alive with energy until the sunrise. The lectures introduce the audience to the basics of astronomy, observational and positional astronomy, and telescope sciences. The games and recreational activities make sure the audience is engaged, having fun but also learning the practical aspects of space sciences within the process. One of the first night camps we held
ASTROSOC 96 Figure 1 | Observation camp at Christ Church Boys’ College. Figure 2 | During a lecture session at Anura Central College. during the last academic year was at Christ Church Boys’ College, Baddegama in the district of Galle. The event started with a lecture on introduction to astronomy and the crowd was already jumping in their seats with countless questions about the universe when the lecture ended. Even though the sky was cloudy and “seeing” was not the best, we were lucky to give them a glimpse of the Moon, Jupiter with its magnificent satellites, and Saturn with its brilliant rings. The camp ended with the students making water rockets and launching them as the sun was rising. Next camp was at Anura Central College, Yakkala. The usual plan was put into action, starting with lectures and moving on to the observation sessions. But unfortunately, the sky was heavy with clouds, and we were unable to give them a good look at any planets except for glimpses of mars from time to time. Due to the unfortunate weather, the camp at Anura Central College Had to be ended by midnight. Yet, as we were packing up our instruments, oh, the sky was clearing up. With the sky directly above clearing up of clouds, it revealed the magnificent Orion constellation with its Orion Nebula right below the three-star belt. Our telescopes were immediately turned towards the Orion Nebula, and we were lucky to see the beauty of it with our own eyes. Though, it’s unfortunate the students didn’t get the chance to enjoy that wonder. A few weeks later, ten of us packed for our next night camp at St. Sebastian’s College, Moratuwa. The event kicked off with the usual lectures and moved on to the observation sessions. That day was also a bit cloudy, obscuring better views of the sky, yet we managed to show them a few planets. Later, towards the dawn we were able to capture glimpses of the Orion Nebula and Rosette Nebula. The event ended with a blast as the boys launched their water rockets across the school. The next night camp was in Puttalam district for the students of Anamaduwa Central College. There, we were met with an unexpected crowd excited to know about the wonders of the universe. They all were excited from the start as the evening lectures continued towards the observation sessions. The same old story of cloudy skies repeated for this night camp too followed by extremely clear
ASTROSOC 97 ing the Butterfly Cluster and Ptolemy Cluster associated with the Scorpius constellation. It was fun trying to show the amateur astronomers the wings of the butterfly in the butterfly cluster when it was difficult to see them by ourselves as experienced night sky watchers. Yet, we managed to convince at least a few students why the cluster was called so. The event was a huge success with students enjoying themselves by dressing each other as paper astronauts and making and launching lots of water rockets as the sun was coming around the horizon. One out of conventional night camps we participated in was to the “Wild Kids”, an association of kids of all ages to enjoy nature out of the mechanical environment of schools. There, kids from ages of four to fifteen were gathered at the CR & FC ground to enjoy the night skies through telescopes. It was, to be honest with the matters, difficult to teach such young kids even about the basics of astronomy, yet we managed to capture their attention with lectures about the solar system and aliens in addition to the basics of astronomy. As usual with every night camp, the night was cloudy. Still we managed to aim Figure 3 | Launching water rockets during the night camp at Anamaduwa our telescopes at a few stars and let the kids enjoy the night skies to the maximum. Our next night camp was at the Ilukovita MMV at Seethawaka. This was a joint project with the Rotaract Club of Faculty of Science, University of Colombo. Unlike other night camps, this night camp was planned to end around 10.00 pm, so we started the event by launching a few water rockets across the Seethawaka Botanical Garden to capture the attention of the participants. We managed to keep the excitement among the students as we continued with our usual lectures. We managed to show them the beautiful double star Mizar-Alcor through the heavily cloudy skies and explained to them what a double star system is. We were able to participate in a night camp organized by the Thakshila College Gampaha as our next event, with the participation of Prof. Chandana Jayarathne. The event took place at the Shri Bodhi ground, Gampaha. There, over three hundred school students were waiting for us to get their first glimpse of celestial bodies. The event was a huge success as we were met with unexpected clear skies. We were able to observe most of the planets, including Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn, with rare clarity. Venus was brilliant in its phase, and Mars showed dark surface features against the red background. We could catch a rare glimpse of Jupiter with five of its moons, and we further enhanced the view with filters to clarify the belts of Jupiter. Saturn was the highlight of the day with its magnificent rings and Titan, its biggest moon, in the background. We managed to capture Saturn with Titan in a special astrophotography session. In addition to night camps for school children, as the Astronomical Society of Uni-
ASTROSOC 98 Figure 4 | Telescope handling workshop for the students of Certificate Course in Astronomy Image Credits : FOS media, Astronomical Society of University of Colombo versity of Colombo, with the guidance of Dr. Janaka Adassuriya, we conducted a few night camps to the applicants of the Certificate Course in Astronomy, helping them to gain the practical aspects of astronomy. We also had a special night camp at the UCFM tower with the participation of the members of our society. It was to observe and capture the special occurrence of having all the four visible planets in the sky at the same time, and it was a huge success. It was mesmerizing to see the four planets across the sky, horizon to horizon. Night sky observation camps are educational as well as fun to participate in. For us, as the ones who are conducting the event, it is heartwarming, each single time to see the participants’ eyes widen with wonder as many of them take their first look at a celestial object. And we never hesitate to give them nothing next to our best to teach them about the wonders of the universe. Sathira Deegala Level Four Undergraduate Faculty of Science
ASTROSOC 99 STAR QUEST 2022 fh!jkhskaf.a ;drld úoHd fm<yr › ,dxflah mdi,a YsIH YsIHdjkaf.a kHdhd;aul iy m%dfhda.sl ;drld úoHd oekqu m%j¾Okh lrkq jia fld<U úYaj úoHd,hSh ;drld úoHd ix.uh u.ska ixúOdkh lrkq ,nk iuia; ,xld wka;¾ mdi,a ;drld úoHd m%Yak úpdrd;aul ;rÕdj,sh j¾I 2022 wf.daia;= ui 06 jeks Èk fld<U úYaj úoHd,hSh úoHd mSG mßY%fha§ W;al¾Ij;a wkaoñka meje;ajq‚. miq.sh jirj, rg ;=, mej;s wys;lr ;;a;ajhka fya;=fjka meje;aùug fkdyels jQ Star Quest m%Yak úpdrd;aul ;rÕdj,sh uydpd¾h pkaok chr;ak uy;df.a uÕfmkaùu hgf;a ;drld úoHd ix.ufha isiq isiqúhkaf.a lemùfuka yd ixúOdk Yla;sfhka 2022 j¾Ifha § w;s id¾:lj meje;aùug yelshdj ,enq‚. Èjhsk mqrd kka foiska meñ‚ mdi,a YsIH YsIHhdfjda úYd, msßila fuu ;rÕdj,sh i|yd iyNd.s jQy. Star Quest 2022 ;r.dj,sfha iudrïNl W;aij wjia:dfõ§ úYaj úoHd,hSh mer‚;u fukau fld<U úYaj úoHd,hSh ks, ;drld úoHd iÕrdj jk fuu is.aud iÕrdfjys 38 fjks fj¿u t<soelaùuo isÿ flre‚. ;rÕdj,sfha uQ,sl ;rÕ jgh f,i ksÍlaIK ;drld úoHdj, ;drld fN!;sl úoHdj, wcgdldY úoHdj iy frdlÜ yd wNHjldY .fõIKh hk ldKav úIhhkaf.ka iukaú; nyqjrK m%Yak m;%hlg ms<s;=re iemhSu ;rÕlrejka úiska isÿ flre‚. uQ,sl ;rÕ jgfhys ksudfjka wk;=rej w¾O wjika jgh i|yd iqÿiaika f;aÍfï lghq;= w;r;=f¾§ fld<U úYaj úoHd,hSh fcHIaG lÓldpd¾h wdpd¾h ckl wviaiQrsh uy;d úiska ;drld yd wNHjldY úoHdj bf.kSfï jeo.;alu iy m¾fhaIK iïnkaOfhka b;d jeo.;a foaYkhla mj;ajk ,§. iyNd.s jQ ish,a,kaf.au ;drld úoHd oekqu jeä ÈhqKq lr .ekSug tu foaYkh uy;a rel=,la úh. foaYkfhka miqj w¾O wjika jgh i|yd iqÿiqlï ,enQ mdi,a ksfõokh lrkq ,enQ w;r fld<U kd,kaod úoHd,h, fld<U wdkkao úoHd,h, fld<U rdclSh úoHd,h, uykqjr lsx.aiajqâ
ASTROSOC 100 úoHd,h iy fld<U úidLd úoHd,h w¾O wjika jgh i|yd iqÿiqlï ,eîh. w¾O wjika ;rÕ jgfha§ wNsfhda.d;aul rpkd wdldrfha m%Yak i|yd ms<s;=re iemhSug ;rÕlrejkag isÿ jQ w;r bka jeäu ,l=Kq ,nd.;a mdi,a oaú;ajh wjika ;rÕjgh i|yd iqÿiqlï ,eîh. fld<U kd,kaod úoHd,h iy uykqjr lsx.aiajqâ úoHd,h fufia wjika uyd ;rÕ jgh i|yd iqÿiqlï ,eîug iu;a úh ;rÕ jg ;=klska iukaú; jQ jdÑl m%Yak úpdrd;aul jevigykla f,i wjika uyd ;rÕh meje;aùh. fomd¾Yjh WKqiqï ;rÕhla ,ndfoñka wjidkfha§ fld<U kd,kaod úoHd,h úiska jeäu ,l=Kq ,nd .ksñka Star Quest 2022 iuia; ,xld wka;¾ mdi,a ;drld úoHd m%Yak úpdrd;aul ;rÕdj,sfha Y+r;djh Èkd .kakd ,§. ms<sfj,ska uykqjr lsx.aiajqâ úoHd,h iy fld<U rdclSh úoHd,h fojk iy f;jk ia:dk ch.%yKh l<y. isiq isiqúhka yg ;rÕdj,sh w;r;=r úfkda oh msß m%dfhda.sl ;drld iy wNHjldY ;dlaI‚l l%shdldrlï /ilg o iyNd.s ùug wjia:dj Wodúh. c, frdlÜ .=jka .; lsÍu fukau fndfyda l%shdldrlï i|yd iyNd.s jQ Tjqka yg kj oekqu tlalr .ekSug o fuh uy;a f;da;ekakla úh. m%dfhda.sl jevuq¿j wjidkfha§ wm úYaj úoHd,fhys msysgd we;s fm!rd‚l fuda,aiaõ¾;a ÿrolakh ksÍlaIKhg o Tjqka yg wjia:dj Wod úh. ;rÕdj,sfha wjidk wx.h jQ ;Hd. m%odk W;aijh o b;d W;al¾Ij;a f,i meje;a úh. uydpd¾h pkaok chr;ak uy;d w;ska Y+r;dj i|yd Star Quest 2022 Y=r;d l=i,dkh m%odkh lsÍu fukau molalï me<|ùu iy iy;slm;a m%odkh lsÍu o isÿ flre‚. wkqY+r;djh iy f;jeks ia:dk i|yd ms<sfj<ska molalï me<ka|ùu iy iy;sl m;a m%odkh o isÿúh. tfukau iyNd.S jQ ish¨u mdi,a ;rÕlrejka i|yd iyNd.s;aj iy;slhla msßkeuq‚. ixúOdhl lñgqfõ iy ;drld úoHd ix- .ufha idudðlhkaf.a udi .Kkl fkduo uykaisfhka, lemùfuka iy ixúOdkfhka jir .Kkdjlg miq Star Quest 2022 iuia; ,xld wka;¾ mdi,a ;drld úoHd m%Yak úpdrd;aul ;rÕdj,sh b;d W;al¾Ij;a wkaoñka w;sid¾:l f,i meje;ajq‚. fiahd rE ( FOS Media ;drld úoHd ix.uh, fld<U úYaj úoHd,h ;rks mñ;ard chj¾Ok f;jk jir úoHd mSGh
ASTROSOC 101 StellaChat 3.0, organized by the Astronomical Society of University of Colombo was held online on 26th November 2022. Starting off with a section from the Marvel comic “Fantastic Four”, Mr. Malinda gave us an interesting account on what cosmic rays are. He explained how cosmic rays were first detected in 1911 and how they are categorized based on origin. Solar cosmic rays originate from solar winds and solar flares, while Earth’s magnetic field acts as a shield against these. The magnificent aurora we see in the north and south poles are due to this phenomenon. Galactic cosmic rays occur outside our solar system, but inside the Milky Way. They are created and accelerated by supernovae. Extra-Galactic cosmic rays which occur outside our galaxy are cosmic rays which have the highStellaChat 3.0 - Cosmic Particle Accelerators and Earth Based Detectors by Mr.Malinda De Silva To Quench Your Thirst of Curiosity - Webinars Conducted by the Astronomical Society est amount of energy. Next Mr. Malinda moved on to how we can detect these cosmic rays. Equipment such as Cherenkov detectors, fluorescence telescopes, radio telescopes are used to detect ground based cosmic rays. Further, cosmic photons can be detected using Cherenkov telescopes which measure the energy of photons. Satellite based experiments that are used to detect cosmic rays are the AMS experiment in the ISS, CHANDRA X-Ray observatory and FERMI Gamma Ray Telescope. As we moved on to the final part of the webinar, Mr. Malinda gave us an explanation on what neutrinos are and how to detect them. We understood that neutrinos were the hardest particle to be measured despite being the most abundant particle in the universe. Neutrinos come in three flavors, and there are separate methods to detect them. Solar neutrinos are measured at the Sudbury Neutrino Detector in Canada, and Atmospheric Neutrinos are measured using the Super Kamiokande experiment in Japan. The third type Cosmic Neutrinos are measured using the Ice Cube experiment in Antarctica.
ASTROSOC 102 Minor Bodies of the Solar System by Prof. Shashikiran Ganesh Revealing the Obscured Universe by Dr. Jeff Wagg A webinar jointly conducted by SLAAS Section E1 and the Astronomical Society of University of Colombo was the one on Minor Bodies of the Solar System. This was conducted by Prof. Shashikiran Ganesh, from Astronomy and Astrophysics Division at Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad, India. This was held on 11th February 2023 through zoom. Minor bodies include asteroids, comets, objects in the Kuiper Belt and Oort Cloud, small planetary satellites, Triton, Pluto, Charon and interplanetary dust. Even though these bodies are very small compared to our solar system, they are not less significant than other objects in our solar system. Prof. Ganesh emphasized the importance of these minor bodies during the webinar, where he mentioned that these objects are believed to be minimally altered from their state in the young solar nebula from which the planets formed. Therefore, they are able to provide good insights on the formation and evolution of the solar system. Prof. Ganesh also recalled how he and Dr. Janaka did observations using the telescopes in India. Further, he showed us some fascinating images of meteors which made this webinar an informative yet interesting event. This webinar was based on the telescopes and observatories around the world and how they helped in capturing images of our vast universe. The webinar started off with an introduction to galaxies and nebulas and onto how they were imaged using various kinds of telescopes. Images of the Horsehead Nebula captured using the Hubble Space Telescope and East Asian Observatory were shown during the webinar, where we were able to see the differences between the two imaging techniques. Dr. Jeff stated that the images of most distant galaxies were captured using Hubble Ultra Deep Field, which had the ability to capture the universe’s oldest galaxies. We became aware that some telescopes such as ALMA (Atacama Large Millimeter/ submillimeter Array) used spectroscopy to image the universe while telescopes such as the Event Horizon Telescope used very-longbaseline interferometry (VLBI) to capture the first image of a black hole. Further Dr. Jeff explained about the Mauna Kea Observatory at Hawaii, The large Millimeter Telescope at Pueblo, Mexico, IRAM 30m telescope at Pico Veleta, Spain and NOEMA at Plateau de Bure, French Alps. He also didn’t forget to share the experiences he gained by working at some of these observatories. At the end of the webinar Dr. Jeff emphasized the value of collaboration, which is essential to make these international projects a success, where expertise as well as financial aid should come together. This webinar was conducted online through zoom and was held on 30th March 2023. It was jointly organized by the Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science, Section E1 and the Astronomical Society of University of Colombo. • https://rb.gy/d4azvy • https://rb.gy/aqdrd7 • https://rb.gy/qea365 Thusali Kodikara Level Three Undergraduate Faculty of Science Images
ASTROSOC 103 “Stella Imago Phase 1” The Astrophotography Workshop Astronomy is a versatile science, and photography is a well-known, popular hobby that is preferred by most people in the world. Therefore, there is no doubt that astrophotography, which is the collaboration of these two branches, is one of the most fascinating topics for the majority. One can indulge himself in it for sure while being able to grasp knowledge as well. Members of the Astronomical Society of the University of Colombo were lucky enough to surf into the beauty of astrophotography and break the boundaries of knowledge on each and every fact about it recently. “Stella Imago Phase 1”, the Astrophotography Workshop was organized by the Astronomical Society of the University of Colombo, along with the Astronomy and Space Science Unit for the members of the Astronomical Society itself. It was held on 29th to 30th of April, 2023, at the Inginimitiya reservoir dam, Puttalam with the participation of 50 members of the society. The project was able to hit the jackpot with an experienced Sri Lanka-based astrophotographer, Mr. Geethika Sapukotuna, as the resource person. All the participants got some golden hours there, acquiring A to Z knowledge on astrophotography while observing a mesmerizingly clear night sky with the aid of some sophisticated telescopes. Students could capture quality photographs of the Moon, Saturn, Ptolemy Cluster, Butterfly Cluster, Lagoon Nebula, Trifid Nebula, and the Milky Way with the knowledge they gained during the workshop. Participants also engaged in sharing their knowledge on mobile astrophotography, which was another impressive and remarkable scene. Not only getting more knowledge on science-related aspects, but also building up some skills such as working in a team, facing challenges successfully, and finding practical solutions arm in arm for the problems arising during the activities were some of the advantages that participants could gain during the workshop. The ones who were able to partake in the workshop will surely be able to use the knowledge and experience that they gained to make great changes in the future. “Astrophotography Workshop at the Inginimitiya reservoir dam, Puttalam”
ASTROSOC 104 By Yasara Umashi. Level Two Undergraduate, Faculty of Science Image Credits : Astronomical Society of University of Colombo
ASTROSOC 105
ASTROSOC 106 Chief Editors Thusali Kodikara Level Three Undergraduate Department of Statistics Faculty of Science S. A. Pramod Dilshan Level Four Undergraduate Department of Zoology and Environment Sciences Faculty of Science. Nipuni Wanniarachchi Level Four Undergraduate Department of Zoology and Environment Sciences Faculty of Science Sub-editors Samuditha Saradindu Level Three Undergraduate Department of Physics Faculty of Science Savindu Weerathunga Level Three Undergraduate Department of Plant Sciences Faculty of Science G.Phothygajana Level Three Undergraduate Department of Chemistry Faculty of Science Rishini Fernando Level Three Undergraduate Faculty of Science F. B. Ishara Nimeshi Level Four Undergraduate Department of Zoology and Environment Sciences Faculty of Science Graphic designers W. M. Janaka Prasad Wanigasooriya Level Three Undergraduate Department of Physics Faculty of Science Sanduni Manorathne Level Three Undergraduate Department of Mathematics Faculty of Science H.D.R. Lakshan Level Four Undergraduate Department of Physics Faculty of Science Idusha Amandi Perera Level Three Undergraduate University of Colombo School of Computing Irusha Arundi Perera Level Three Undergraduate Department of Mathematics Faculty of Science Web developers Idusha Amandi Perera Level Three Undergraduate University of Colombo School of Computing Irusha Arundi Perera Level Three Undergraduate Department of Mathematics Faculty of Science Dilanga Harshani Level Three Undergraduate University of Colombo School of Computing Contributors
ASTROSOC 107 Writers Dr. Janaka Adassuriya Senior Lecturer Department of Physics Faculty of Science Dr. K.L. Isuru Gunawardhana Medical Physicist Cancer Unit, Teaching Hospital Karapitiya, Galle A.Jalani J. Perera Level Four Undergraduate Department of statistics Faculty of science G. A. D. T. P. Jayawardena Level Three Undergraduate Department of Physics Faculty of Science Rumeshika kanagaraj Level One Undergraduate Faculty of science Shehara De Silva Level Two Undergraduate Faculty of Science Yasara Umashi Level Two Undergraduate Faculty of Science Dasith Tilakaratna Demonstrator Department of Physics Faculty of Science Ashimi Sithmini Rathmalgoda Level Three Undergraduate Department of Plant Sciences Faculty of Science Leandra Shiyara Level One Undergraduate Faculty of Science W. D. Ravindu Kalhara Level Three Undergraduate Department of Physics Faculty of Science W.S Thishakya De Silva Level One Undergraduate Faculty of Science H.P. Kalubowila Level Two Undergraduate Faculty of science K.M.D.L Kumarasingha Level Three Undergraduate Faculty of science Apoorwa Amarathunga Level Two Undergraduate Faculty of Science Kavinda Rashmadu Level Two Undergraduate Faculty of Science Pramudith Fernando Level Three Undergraduate Faculty of Science W.A.P.U. Ruwanmalie Level Four Undergraduate Department of Plant Sciences Faculty of Science Devanga De Silva Level Three Undergraduate Faculty of Science G.D. Anju Gayathri Level Three Undergraduate Department of Nuclear Science Faculty of Science L.C.T.Gamage Level Three Undergraduate Faculty of Indigenous Medicine Nipuni Wanniarachchi Level Four Undergraduate Department of Zoology and Environment Sciences Faculty of Science Thusali Kodikara Level Three Undergraduate Department of Statistics Faculty of Science A. D. P. Ramuditha Ariyapala Level One Undergraduate Faculty of Science Youhan Wanigasuriya Level Three undergraduate Faculty of Science Taasha Hewa Matarage Level One Undergraduate Faculty of Science Sathira Deegala Level Four Undergraduate Department of Chemistry Faculty of Science Induwara Kahandagamage Level Two Undergraduate Faculty of Science
ASTROSOC 108
ASTROSOC 109 SIGMA ‘23 would not have been a reality, if not for the immense dedication of a special group of individuals. Writers were the heart and soul of our magazine, who spent hours researching and writing articles to awe-spire the readers. The sub-editors and chief editors made sure that the content was accurate and that everything was in order, while the graphic designers created beautiful designs, adding colors to the magazine, both literally and figuratively. The web developers took charge of creating the e-magazine, making this knowledge accessible to any interested astrophile. Let us take this moment to thank them. Furthermore, we are extremely grateful to Senior Prof. Upul Sonnadara, the Dean of the Faculty of Science, University of Colombo, and the Patron of the Astronomical Society, for his support and for permitting us to carry out this task. We also thank Prof. K. P. S. Chandana Jayaratne, Chairman of the Arthur C Clarke Institute for Modern Technologies (ACCIMT), Head of the Department of Physics, University of Colombo, Director of the Astronomy and Space Science Unit, Department of Physics, University of Colombo, Colombo-03, Sri Lanka, Past General President (2018) of Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science (SLAAS), and the Senior Treasurer/ Advisor of Astronomical Society, Director, Student Affairs and Senior Student Counsellor, University of Colombo(1999-2003) Editor in Chief, Journal of the Sri Lanka Association for the Advancement of Science, National Coordinator of Sri Lankan Olympiads on Astronomy and Astrophysics, Country Coordinator & Jury Member of International Astronomy Olympiad (IAO), Country Coordinator and Board Member of International Olympiads on Astronomy and Astrophysics (IOAA) and the Council Member of National Research Council (NRC), SLAAS, IPSL and Member ExCo-OPA for his advice and guidance in making this magazine a success. Moreover, we are indebted to Dr. Janaka Adassuriya, Senior Lecturer of the Department of Physics, University of Colombo, and the Advisor of the Astronomical Society, for his fantastic write-up as well as his support in coordinating the work. And let us thank Dr. Henry B. Throop, Program Officer, Planetary Science Division, NASA HQ, for his inspiring and invaluable interview. Last but not least, we acknowledge Dr. Isuru Gunawardhana, Graduate Research Assistant, Astronomy and Space Science Unit (ASSU), Department of Physics, University of Colombo, for his article which further diversified the scope of the SIGMA ‘23 magazine. We once again extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who showed their maximum support from the very beginning to accomplish this task. Acknowledgements