🚀 Recent Activities
🌠 June 2026: HiSTAR Summer School 2026 (Success Story)
The Himalayan School for Training in Astronomy Research (HiSTAR) was successfully hosted from 8-12 June 2026 across UPES, Dehradun and the Dolphin PG Institute. The five-day program brought together students, faculty, and resource persons for astronomy lectures, hands-on sessions, project work, and observational training.
The event concluded on a strong note, building a lively academic atmosphere and highlighting the growing collaboration between institutions working in astronomy education and research across the Himalayan region.
HiSTAR success story highlights:
- Successful hosting of a five-day astronomy training school with active participation from students and mentors.
- Engaging lectures, laboratory-style sessions, and project discussions that supported practical learning.
- Strong collaboration between UPES, Dolphin PG Institute, and invited resource persons.
- A focused platform for building research interest and scientific exchange in astronomy and astrophysics.
Dates: 8th - 12th June 2026
Venue: UPES, Dehradun + Dolphin PG Institute
Format: Talks + Hands-on + Projects + Observation
Status: Successfully hosted
Highlights from HiSTAR Summer School 2026 and the organizing team.
🎓 February 2026: National Workshop on Data Science in Astronomy (Success Story)
The National Workshop on Data Science in Astronomy (NWDSA) was successfully organized at UPES, Dehradun from 24-26 February 2026 with academic support from IUCAA and active participation from students, faculty, and early-career researchers.
The workshop blended keynote lectures, guided hands-on labs, and participant-led project/presentation sessions. Participants worked with real astronomical datasets and strengthened practical skills in data handling, visualization, and time-series analysis.
Workshop impact and outcomes:
- Strong interdisciplinary participation from physics, astronomy, mathematics, and computer science backgrounds.
- Successful completion of hands-on sessions using Python-based scientific tools.
- Active poster and project discussions that encouraged collaborative learning.
- Valuable research networking between participants, speakers, and organizing faculty.
Dates: 24th - 26th February 2026
Venue: UPES, Dehradun
Format: Talks + Hands-on + Project/Poster sessions
Status: Successfully completed
Highlights from the National Workshop on Data Science in Astronomy (NWDSA 2026).
🌙 December 2025: Night Sky Observation (NSO) Event
The Night Sky Observation (NSO) event was conducted on 2nd December 2025, offering students and enthusiasts a direct observational astronomy experience under the evening sky.
Participants observed key celestial targets through telescope-guided sessions and received live explanations on sky navigation, star identification, and observation practices. The event successfully connected classroom astronomy with real-sky exploration.
Event details:
- Date: 2nd December 2025
- Format: Guided night observation + faculty interaction
- Focus: Telescope orientation, constellation tracking, and practical sky awareness
- Outcome: Strong student engagement and hands-on observational confidence
Moments from the Night Sky Observation event at UPES.
🛰️ August 2025: National Space Day 2025 Event
On the occasion of the 2nd National Space Day, Prof. Varun Sheel (Head, Planetary Science Division, PRL) delivered a special talk.
Time: 3:00 – 4:00 pm
Venue: Buzz-II (Room #9104)
Swipe through moments from Prof. Varun Sheel's talk.
🌄 April 2025: Student Visit to ARIES, Nainital
A group of undergraduate students undertook a memorable academic expedition to the Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES), Nainital.
This educational visit provided a rare opportunity for students to interact directly with professional astronomers, scientists, and engineers, gaining firsthand insights into India’s leading research programs in observational astronomy. The visit featured informative sessions on exo-planet detection, Solar dynamics, observational strategies, and ongoing national missions.
Highlights of the trip:
- Devasthal Optical Telescope (DOT) – India’s largest optical telescope (Largest in Asia)
- Devasthal Fast Optical Telescope (DFOT) – rapid follow-up observations
- International Liquid Mirror Telescope (ILMT) – first liquid mirror telescope dedicated to astronomy
The exposure to operational observatories and interactions with the scientific community at ARIES made this visit a milestone in their academic journey.
A glance into the visit:
🌟 March 2025: Weekly Lecture Series on Astrophysics
The Weekly Lecture Series on Astrophysics is an ongoing initiative introducing students to astronomy and astrophysics. Open to all, the series explores stellar evolution, black holes, and modern observational techniques, sparking curiosity and interdisciplinary engagement.
- Dr. Balendra P. Singh
- Dr. Nitesh Kumar
- Dr. Prince Sharma
- Dr. Arka Chatterjee
- Dr. Suvankar R. Chowdhury
- Dr. Raju RoyChowdhury
🔭 February 2025: Sky-Gazing Event with In-House 8-inch Telescope
A sky-gazing session was organized using the department’s in-house 12-inch reflector telescope, giving students a rare opportunity to explore the skies from campus.
The event featured a guided solar observation session, where students safely viewed the Sun through a solar filter, observing sunspots and experiencing the dynamic nature of our nearest star. Faculty members guided participants in operating the telescope and understanding solar features.
For many, this was their first direct glimpse at the Sun through a scientific instrument, turning abstract concepts into vivid, observable reality.
