Environment Awareness Seminar at RIL, Hazira, Surat:

The seminar on Environment Awareness and Its Possible Preventive Actions at Reliance Industries Ltd, Hazira Mfg Division, Surat on 28th February 2010 by Nikunj Rawal.

Sky-Observation Prgoramme on 20/02/2010 at Aatmiya Vidhya Mandir School, Kamrej, Surat

The curious and enthusiastic students of 8th standard of Aatmiya Vidhya Mandir school made this astronomical session a grand success to our team. This was on behalf of AAAS Team, Surat.

Partial Solar Eclipse: 15/01/2010

Observation Camp of Partial Solar Eclipse from Gandhinagar on 15th January 2010:

Photograph taken by Nikunj RawalSeveral people came to watch the greatest event of Eclipse

Partial Lunar Eclipse 1st January 2010:

Photographs taken by Nikunj Rawal and Jagdish Thadani from Surat, India on the night of 31st December 2009. The Moon was quite obscured by Earth's shadow.

It has also been "The Blue Moon Day" of the year 2009, i.e. Two Full Moon in a single month.

Astronomers find Super-Earth using amateur, off-the-shelf technology:

Newly discovered super-Earth GJ 1214b, which orbits a red dwarf star 40 light-years from Earth. It was discovered by the MEarth project - a small fleet of ground-based telescopes no larger than those many amateur astronomers have in their backyards. David A. Aguilar, CfA [View Larger Image]December 16, 2009

Astronomers have discovered a "super-Earth" orbiting a red dwarf star 40 light-years from Earth. They found the distant planet with a small fleet of ground-based telescopes no larger than those many amateur astronomers have in their backyards. Although the super-Earth is too hot to sustain life, the discovery shows that current, ground-based technologies are capable of finding almost-Earth-sized planets in warm, life-friendly orbits.


A super-Earth is defined as a planet between one and ten times the mass of the Earth. The newfound world, GJ 1214b, is about 6.5 times as massive as Earth. Its host star, GJ 1214, is a small, red type M star about one-fifth the size of the Sun. It has a surface temperature of only about 4900° Fahrenheit (2900° Celsius) and a luminosity only three-thousandths as bright as the Sun.


GJ 1214b orbits its star once every 38 hours at a distance of only 1.3 million miles (2.1 million kilometers). Astronomers estimate the planet's temperature to be about 400° Fahrenheit (200° Celsius). Although warm as an oven, it is still cooler than any other known transiting planet because it orbits a very dim star.


Since GJ 1214b crosses in front of its star, astronomers were able to measure its radius, which is about 2.7 times that of Earth. This makes GJ 1214b one of the two smallest transiting worlds astronomers have discovered.

World Science Day- 10th November 2009 Celebration:

To spread the knowledge of Astronomy, AAAS had delivered a seminar on General Astronomy Guide on 10th November as an occasion of World Science Day at Udhyog Bharti School, Pandesara, Surat.

The strength of students were around 250 from 7th to 12th standards. The principal of the school Mrs. Pannaben Desai gave warm welcome to us. One of the member of AAAS, Nikunj Rawal delivered this speech.

The secretary of Satyashodhak Sabha, Surat, Mr.Sidhharth Degami was also with us to explain wrong superstitions running in society and to remove it by knowing Science by performing many experiments himself.

Udhyog Bharti School, Pandesara, Surat

Mrs.Pannaben Desai, Principal of School

Nikunj Rawal explaining about Astronomy

More than 200 students participated

Mr.Sidhharth Degami, Satya Shodhak Sabha, Surat

Nikunj Rawal with Former President of India Dr.A P J Abdul Kalaam at IIM, Ahmedabad on 12th October 2009 on "Science On Wheel Conference"

Nikunj Rawal with Dr.A P J Abdul Kalaam at IIM,Ahmedabad on 12th October 2009
(Showing letters and I-Card to him)

Nikunj Rawal with Dr.A P J Abdul Kalaam at IIM,Ahmedabad on 12th October 2009
Taking Autograph on his Book- "Ignited Minds"

SpaceWeather.Com Approach for AstroPhotography:

Click on below link to open my photos uloaded to www.spaceweather.com site:

http://spaceweather.com/submissions/large_image_popup.php?image_name=Nikunj-Rawal-DSCN0551_1254736040.jpg

http://spaceweather.com/submissions/large_image_popup.php?image_name=Nikunj-Rawal-Sun-Light-Refracted_1252475682.jpg

Dr.A P J Abdul Kalam's Approach:

Our former Hon. President Dr.A P J Abdul Kalam during his Presidence time wrote me a letter for Inspiration on behalf of my first step towards Astronomy after my Interaction with him on 23rd September 2003.

Dr.A P J Abdul Kalam then after sent me His Identity Card for me to attend him anywhere without any permission on 17th May 2004.

It is very delightful for me to have such a person's inspirational hand.

Live WorkShop on Total Solar Eclipse 22 July 2009:

AAAS has organized and celebrated Total Solar Eclipse by conducting two days workshop on 21-22 July 2009 at Aatmiya Vidhya Mandir , Kamrej ,Surat.

Log on to http://www.aaasteam.blogspot.com for detailed information.

Analemma View of Total Solar Eclipse messed with clouds at 06:21 to 06:24 pm

AAAS Team with Eminent Scientists and Astronomers

Times of India Article

AAAS Team with Dr.Hari Om Vats-PRL and Principal Shri Yogesh Raval At Aatmiya Vidhya Mandir School, Kamrej, Surat

Total Solar Eclipse 2009 Rehearsal/Survey:

Dear All,
We four Amateur Astronomers Nikunj Rawal, Jagdish Thadani, Charitarth Vyas and Fenil Patadiay along with Shri Dhananjay Raval from AAAS have gone to Aatmiya Vidya Mandir Swaminarayan School, Kamrej, Surat for the rehearsal on TSE 2009. We worked and discussed about the preparations on TSE 2009.
The Sunrise was on 05:59 am, but due to clouds, We saw it on 06:15 am. But the scenery. Our rehearsal was successful. was wonderful.

2010 Year Eclipse List:

Type: Total Solar Eclipse
Date: 11 July 2010
Duration of Eclipse: 05 min. 20 sec.
Appearance at Indian Time: 12:04 am (Night but Day in South Pole)
Appearance Regions: Chili, Pacific Ocean

My Role Models:

NickAstrro's Show:10: 06/05/2009

Venue: Sector-3/D, Gandhinagar
Participants: 35

About 30 people watched constellations, stars, Moon and Saturn

NickAstrro's Show 09: Dated 02/05/2009

World Astronomy Day: 2nd May

Venue: Government Primary School, Sector-13, Gandhinagr

Time: 08:30 am to 10:30 am

Chocolates are being distributed for all kids

Nikunj Rawal explains about Solar System, Comet and Asteroids

Nikunj Rawal explains Tithi's, Panchaka and Adhik-Kshaya Maas(Month)

More than 400 students joined and watched Sun-Darshan Programme

Teachers watching Sun

NickAstrro's Show # 08: 01/05/2009

World Astronomy Day: Day Five:

Venue: CH-0, Indroda, Gandhinagar

Clouds were bit interference

NickAstrro's Show # 07: Dated 30/04/2009

World Astronomy Week: Day Four:Venue:

Navratri Ground, Sector-3, Gandhinagar

About 100 people watched Moon, Saurn and Titan

Mr. John shocked by watching Moon's Surface and Saturn.

NickAstrro's Show# 06: Dated 29/04/2009

World Astronomy Week: Day Three

Venue: Near GH- 4 Circle Park, Sector-17, Gandhinagar

More than 350 general public enjoyed watching Moon and Saturn, Nebulas

Chairman Mr. Anilbhai Patel from Nisarg Community Science Centre

Village Farmers talked about Shani's Panoti

People from Defence Council appriciated this work for our Scociety