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

1 comment

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    • sidra on February 11, 2011 at 3:58 pm
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    nice journey .

  1. […] of 1/5. When I was with Karachi Astronomers Society at a local village in Balochistan for a Deep Sky Session, more than 5 hours of us were wasted due to clouds. And at Baddo Jabal Event, we were received by […]

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