Where To Go Today In Pune?

Where can we go for stargazing in or near Pune?

• Is there some organization that arranges for this to provide a good stargazing experience? Also, if you have done this, please give a detailed account of how to go about it. E.g. best time to go, things to take, if there are multiple packages available, cost etc

• Answer:

  There are a few organisations in/near Pune that organise and arrange amateur Astronomy activities. For example, you can look into http://akashmitra.wordpress.com/, or https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Khagol_Vishwa. The educational institutes, such as IUCAA and NCRA also arrange some activities around the year, especially public talks, which are essential part of amateur astronomy. I know a few friends who volunteered at these organisations as instructors, and I can say that they are good. But I do not know about their activity details as I have never attended them (I am not into amateur astronomy/stargazing). If you want to do some activities independently, then ideal places would be some forts which are around Pune. They usually provide you higher ground, so that you can have a 360 degree view of the sky, and are usually far from and above the light pollution. But you should take an informed hiker/guide with you, if you have never been hiking along these regions, as there are high chances of getting lost. You should also take all kind of precautions to protect yourself not only from cold weather but from wild animals and insects (and in some places, thieves). Also carry enough food and water with you. The best time to go would be early winter or early spring, (summers are too hot and winter nights may not be suitable for all participants), but usually any cloudless night with little or no moon would be ideal. Apart from the usual binoculars and small telescopes, it would be helpful if you carry a star-map (actual print-poster) and/or a tablet/laptop (iPad etc.) with Stellarium installed. Always carry one small, dim torch for reading, and one big torch for any other purpose (e.g. fending off leopards :P). [EDIT: The ratio should be 1 torch per one or two persons]