The Pathani Samanta Planetarium here would make arrangements for facilitating views of comet ISON (scientific name- C/2013 S1) hurtling towards sun this month-end, said planetarium deputy director Subhendu Pattnaik on Monday.
Pattnaik said they would fix a telescope for a week by which the comet can be seen directly. Though the comet can be watched through
naked eye, but tail-end of the astronomical particle may not be seen to the normal eye for which telescope is needed, he added.
“Most probably we will start the show from November 28 and continue it for a week as the comet is expected to pass closest to the earth between November-end and December first. Within the time period, the comet can be seen easily,” said Pattnaik, adding, “The comet can be spotted in the sky at the dawn before sun rises.”
As the incident happens in the early morning, Pattnaik said, turn out may be decreased for the show.
He also said that there is no question of fear from the side of the comet as it has generated a lot of buzz since it was discovered in 2012 by two Russian astronomers. Rather, the moment can be used as a learning opportunity for the students, science lovers and researchers in the State, he added.
Meanwhile, the Bharat Gyan Vigyan Samiti (BGVS) Odisha and the Odisha Jan Prajukti Manch (OJPM) started a two-day long State-level training programme from Monday for the science teachers and members of science clubs of various districts to spread awareness on the comet ISON.
The consortium of astrophysicists, amateur astronomers, science activists and artist-designers would begin a mass campaign along with the national campaign on the comet’s trail.
The experts said ISON is a large ‘sun-grazing’ comet that will pass as close as a million km from sun on November 28. “The large new comet is coming into our neighbourhood for the first time and bears fingerprints of the history of the solar system,” said the experts.
BGVS’s Blorin Mohanty and OJPM’s Debendra Sutar said the objective of the campaign is to increase awareness on science among the public and students and cultivate scientific temper among them. The consortium would be concluded on Tuesday.