STEP – Science, Technology, and Education in Pakistan

The Khwarizmi Science Society is organizing a series of Astronomy Fairs to celebrate the International Year of Astronomy, 2009.  The society has organized three fairs till now. The first was held at the Punjab University in Lahore. For the subsequent ones, they ventured out to smaller cities, having one at Government High School, Phool Nagar (about 50km from Lahore, formerly known as Bhai Pheru) and the most recent one at District Public School, Okara.

The idea is very simple; hook up a telescope to a webcam, and let a large audience view the wonders of the sky. The response has been phenomenal. Huge crowds, including women, children and the elderly, have come to witness these events. In my opinion, the fair is a highly commendable step to encourage science in schools and the Society deserves a lot of credit for setting it up.

Here are a few photos from Umair Asim’s blog, a Lahore-based ameteur astronomer, who had volunteered his time (and his telescope!) for these events.

The audience at District Public School, Okara, at the Teesra Falakayati Mela

Another view of the audience at Okara

Umar Asim explaining the craters of the moon to the audience

A banner annoucing the event

The live viewing is preceeded by a general-interest lecture on astronomy. Second from left in the front row is Dr Saadat Anwer, president of the Khwarizmi Science Society

An earlier event at Phool Nagar, the Doosra Falakayati Mela

Setting up the telescope at Government High School, Phool Nagar

Here’s a video of the first event at the Punjab University, Lahore…

UPDATE: Dr Sabieh Anwer, the general secretary of KSS, just informed me that the next Falakayati Mela will be at the historic Rohtas Fort near Jehlum, which has the oldest school of the area from pre-independence period. For more pictures of the earlier events, have a look at this page. An article on the Phool Nagar event was published in The News.