VISIT TO ROTARY MIDTOWN ACADEMY, MYSURU

On 14th February 2025, the BBA Aviation Management students from Hindustan College, Mysore, accompanied by Mr. Rijo Johnson, faculty member, visited Rotary Midtown Academy for an astronomical observation session. The purpose of this visit was to observe the planetary alignment event and understand its relevance to aviation navigation.
The event was enriched by the presence of two resource persons, Dr. Prasad (Retired Principal, RIE and Eclipse Chaser) and Mr. Krishnamurthy (Retired Physics Teacher and Amateur Astronomer). They provided a live demonstration on how to observe the sky, locate celestial bodies, and understand their movements. The session began with an introduction to the basics of astronomy, planetary motion, and celestial navigation.

Dr. Prasad and Mr. Krishnamurthy conducted an interactive session on how to observe celestial bodies with the naked eye and telescopes. A live sky-watching demonstration was conducted, allowing students to practically apply their learning. The planetary alignment was clearly visible between 7:30 PM and 9:00 PM. The students observed Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn in alignment. The experts explained how planetary alignments occur, their impact on gravitational forces, and their role in celestial navigation. Discussions were held on how early pilots and sailors used stars and planets for navigation before modern GPS systems. The session helped students understand how astronomical phenomena relate to aviation. Many students expressed a keen interest in attending similar sky-watching events in the future. The visit to Rotary Midtown Academy was a highly successful educational experience. Students gained direct exposure to planetary alignment, learned practical sky-watching techniques, and understood the connection between astronomy and aviation.