Undergraduate Program
Undergraduate Program Indian Institute of Science

Astrae

Astronomy Club

Astrae, the Astronomy Club of IISc, aims to promote Astronomy and related fields, to everyone. We conduct regular Night Sky and Solar observation sessions for the students of all departments where they take a glimpse of our beautiful universe using various telescopes. Theoretical knowledge in fields like Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology is also taught via lectures and talks, primarily given by Students and Professors make the topics accessible to everyone. Conducting hands-on practice sessions helps them get familiar with telescopes and cameras, a part of a series on Astrophotography. Outreach events make sure this knowledge is spread to the interested ones outside the campus, like High School students. Astrae has collaborations with several departments in IISc and is involved in the research going on. We, periodically, plan trips to another campus of IISc, in Challakere, using the all the power of Telescopes and Cameras, that we have, to capture the skies, giving us astonishing results. Since the establishment of the club, we have been quite successful in our mission and gained positive reviews from, not just students, but from Faculties in IISc and participants from outside as well.

Events that were conducted in the last Academic Year (Sept’24-Aug’25):

  1. Cartography of the skies: Understanding star maps and learning to locate stars and other celestial objects in the sky, led by Kenil Ajudiya (Sept’24)
  2. Calendar Distribution to students consisting of images of various objects in the Universe, clicked by the club (Sept’25)
  3. Night Sky Observation Session (Sept’24): involves observing various objects visible and training people to handle telescopes
  4. Radio Astronomy discussion session led by Pranav Kalsi and Kenil Ajudiya (Oct’24)
  5. Night Sky Observation Session (Oct’24)
  6. Night Sky Observation and Astrophotography session (Dec’24): involves observing various objects visible and training people to handle telescopes and cameras
  7. Night Sky Observation and Astrophotography session (Jan’25): involves observing various objects visible and training people to handle telescopes and cameras
  8. Presentation of various Projects and Simulations; along with distribution of Book Marks and Stickers especially to School Students on Open Day (Mar’25)
  9. Trip to Challakere campus (Mar’25) to volunteer in Women's Day conducting Lectures and Solar Observation Sessions
  10. Night Sky Observation and Astrophotography session (Mar’25): involves observing various objects visible and training people to handle telescopes and cameras
  11. Movie Screening of “Theory of Everything” followed by a discussion on the theory and history of Hawking Radiation (June’25)
  12. Night Sky Observation and Astrophotography session (July’25): involves observing various objects visible and training people to handle telescopes and cameras
  13. Talk on Celestial Mechanics led by Animesh Pradhan (Aug’25)
  14. Kerbal Space Program demonstration led by T Y Booritth Balaji and Pranay Kumar (Aug’25)
  15. Night Sky Observation and Astrophotography session (Aug’25): involves observing various objects visible and training people to handle telescopes and cameras
  16. Talk on Stellar Structure and Evolution led by Sarthak Arora (Aug’25)