MANUU faculty facilitates solar eclipse watch

Hyderabad: Prof. Syed Najam ul Hasan, Mathematics, and Dr. Priya Hasan, Secretary, Public Outreach and Education Committee, Astronomical Society of India & Assistant Professor (Physics) at Maulana Azad National Urdu University in coordination with Bookmark Trust organized Suryotsav event to enable the residents of Hyderabad to view solar eclipse in a safe manner. Bookmark Trust with the support of HMDA runs the DoScience centre on Necklace Road every Sunday.

The solar eclipse called an annular eclipse, visible yesterday morning was the last eclipse of the year 2019. Though citizens of Hyderabad witnessed a partial annular solar eclipse, it was no less wonderful.

The event, Suryotsav, was organized at the Sanjeevaiah Park yesterday with support from the Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority (HMDA). Over 260 people and socio-economic segments, including about 100 students from three schools, witnessed this rare celestial phenomenon. Dr. Najam and Dr. Priya set up a telescope with a solar filter that allowed participants to observe the event.

Following a presentation about eclipses, the Professors took a number of questions from the participants.

Dr. Priya Hasan expressed her happiness interacting with all the astronomy enthusiasts. Superstitions such as not eating during an eclipse etc. were dispelled, said Dr. Najam Hasan.