Deep Sky Observing Session, Part 1 – To Balochistan

• Finalized the program on Tuesday
• On Friday, woke up at 9 A.M and slept at 4:30 A.M.
• On Saturday, woke up before 7 A.M and got ready.
• Boarded the bus to Karachi at 8:03 A.M
• Felt sleepy in bus.
• Reached Karachi at 9:55 A.M.
• Called Imran bhai, he said he will pick me up by 11:30 A.M.
• Waited for him in a medical store.
• Imran bhai picked me up from Capri Cinema at 11:33 A.M.
• Reached Mr.Hanif’s home in P.E.C.H.S.
• Met Abu Bakar Siddiq, Mr. Hanif, Jagdish there.
• Had a Kadak Doodh Patti at 12:20 P.M
• Mr. Naveed Merchant joined us then.
• Loaded the vehicles.
• Brother Abbas Jafri arrived then.
• Departed from P.E.C.H.S at 12:55 PM.
• 2 Land Cruisers, 1 Prado.
• Destination: Goth Haji Ismail Khan, Near Lakhan Range. Balochistan, Pakistan.
• Myself, Abu Bakar, Mr. Asim Qadri, Brother Abbas Jafri in one Land Cruiser.
• Imran bhai, Mr. Naveed Merchant, Imrana, Naina, and Azhar in other.
• Mr. Hanif, Zain Ahmed, Jagdish, Yaqoob and Ada Sadiq in third vehicle.
• On our way, we discussed Geography, Astronomy and other sciences in detail.
• Zodiac Shift, minerals of Balochistan, and many other things were discussed too.
• Passed by the Hamdard University, Manghopir, Garam Chashma.
• Garam Chashma is a natural flow of water with Sulphuric Acid in Manghopir. Patients of Leprosy take bath there for getting better.

Hamdard University, Karachi, Pakistan.

• Entered Balochistan nearly at 2:30 P.M, Mobile Network said Bye Bye to us.
• Super bumpy road.
• Reached Noorani Morr at 3:30 P.M.
• Had lunch there.

Lunch at Noorani Morr.

• Met G.M Laghari, a young Pakistani Physicist there, he works at SUPARCO. Pleased to meet him.
• After lunch, Kadak Doodh Patti is a must have.

Tea Time at Noorani Morr

• Departed from Noorani Morr at 4:00 P.M sharp.
• Real tough terrain started from here.
• Reached the camping site at 4:41 P.M

Towards the camping site

Towards the camping site

Towards the camping site

Camping site – Goth Haji Ismail Khan

• Climbed the mountain behind the camping site to check the valley view.
• Equipments were being assembled.
• Meade LX200R of Mr. Naveed Merchant.
• Celestron 8″ SCT of Imran bhai.
• Brother Abbas brought his 20×60 binoculars with tripod.
• Mr. Hanif had a Super Camera for night time photography.

Meade LX200R of Mr Naveed Merchant

• Abu Bakar and I collected some strange-looking fossil type stones from the mountain.
• Packed those stones and hid them.
• Time for prayers.

Local Mosque

• Had a Kadak Doodh Patti once again.
• Sun went down.
• Took Moon shots.
• First shot without a telescope, the second shot was aided by the Celestron 8″ SCT.

Moon shot through C8

• Gave an explanation of Zodiac system and Zodiac shift of to Imrana.
• The nose was running like Eridanus.
• Put 2 jackets+woolen cap on to prevent from Hypothermia.

Deep Sky Observing Session Part 1 ends here.

Part 2