The Bangalore Astronomical Society (BAS) is a society of

amateur An amateur () is generally considered a person who pursues an avocation independent from their source of income. Amateurs and their pursuits are also described as popular, informal, autodidacticism, self-taught, user-generated, do it yourself, DI ...

astronomer An astronomer is a scientist in the field of astronomy who focuses their studies on a specific question or field outside the scope of Earth. They observe astronomical objects such as stars, planets, natural satellite, moons, comets and galaxy, g ...

s and other interested individuals, headquartered in

Bangalore Bangalore (), officially Bengaluru (), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Karnataka. It has a population of more than and a metropolitan population of around , making it the third most populous city and fifth most ...

. The primary objective of the BAS is to promote and popularize

Astronomy Astronomy () is a natural science that studies astronomical object, celestial objects and phenomena. It uses mathematics, physics, and chemistry in order to explain their origin and chronology of the Universe, evolution. Objects of interest ...

as a

hobby A hobby is considered to be a regular activity that is done for enjoyment, typically during one's leisure time. Hobbies include collecting themed items and objects, engaging in creative and artistic pursuits, playing Sport, sports, or pursu ...

and

science Science is a systematic endeavor that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe. Science may be as old as the human species, and some of the earliest archeological evidence for ...

History

The society was founded in 2006 and registered as not-for-profit organization. In the initial days, members used to meet virtually over

Orkut Orkut was a social networking service owned and operated by Google. The service was designed to help users meet new and old friends and maintain existing relationships. The website was named after its creator, Google employee Orkut Büyükkökt ...

and then eventually they decided to form a not-for-profit organization. BAS today is an informal volunteer-run group and is active through th
BAS Google Group
a

Telegram Telegraphy is the long-distance transmission of messages where the sender uses symbolic codes, known to the recipient, rather than a physical exchange of an object bearing the message. Thus flag semaphore is a method of telegraphy, whereas p ...

group,and through its

star parties A star party is a gathering of amateur astronomers the purpose of observing objects and events in the sky. Local star parties may be one-night affairs, but larger events can last a week or longer and attract hundreds or even thousands of partici ...

Working Philosophy

Most of BAS Administrative tasks and its activities are handled by its volunteers. Volunteers hail from different walks of life, most being working professionals or students. BAS neither employs nor provides stipends for anybody involved in its activities or administration.

Activities

BAS's activities broadly fall under Observing, Instrumentation, Outreach, Workshops and Meetings respectively. BAS Activities are normally open to one and all. BAS organizes, motivates and encourages its members to volunteer in Astronomy popularization and outreach initiatives. BAS Activities are normally announced and promoted solely on the web and sometimes with voluntary intervention from the media. In light of the

COVID-19 Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was COVID-19 pandemic in Hubei, identified in Wuhan, China, in December ...

pandemic, BAS organized many virtual talks and webinars in year 2020 to help keep enthusiasts engaged during the lockdown phases. The talks were recorded and uploaded to the official YouTube Channel. In September 2022, BAS joined hands with the

Indian Institute of Astrophysics The Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), with its headquarters in Bengaluru,is an autonomous Research Institute wholly financed by the department of Science and Technology, Government of India. IIA conducts research primarily in the areas of ...

to organize a joint

star party A star party is a gathering of amateur astronomers the purpose of observing objects and events in the sky. Local star parties may be one-night affairs, but larger events can last a week or longer and attract hundreds or even thousands of partic ...

at the

Hanle Dark Sky Reserve Hanle can mean: * Hanle (village), located in eastern Indian Ladakh, near the Chinese border ** The Indian Astronomical Observatory, adjacent to Hanle village, location of the highest major astronomical telescopes in the world and colloquially kn ...

in the

Himalayas The Himalayas, or Himalaya (; ; ), is a mountain range in Asia, separating the plains of the Indian subcontinent from the Tibetan Plateau. The range has some of the planet's highest peaks, including the very highest, Mount Everest. Over 100 ...

. Over the recent years, BAS has organized many

, usually in the winter time and in the Western Ghats of Karnataka, owing to the dark skies the location offers.

References

* * * * * *

External links

* {{Portal bar, India, Astronomy, Stars, Spaceflight, Outer space, Solar System, Education, Science Astronomy organizations Scientific organizations established in 2006 Non-profit organisations based in India Astronomy in India 2006 establishments in Karnataka

History

Working Philosophy

Activities

See also

References

External links