Sky Gazing and Camping
Posted on January 23, 2019 by Travel Freak
Being in the city, how often do we get to see a clear night sky? A rarity right! So when we came across an event on Facebook called Sky Gazing and Camping organized by the Amateur Astronomers Group, we were more than happy to register. It was an overnight event and the cost included food and the tent stay.
Getting there
It was an overnight camp near Panset, about an hour’s drive from Pune. The organizers had provided the exact location of the camping site and by following the route via Google maps, finding the place was not a hassle.
There was an assembly point at Nanded City, Sinhagad road from where everyone would go together in their own vehicles. The distance from Nanded City to the campsite is 23 km. Since we knew the route and road construction work was going on, we decided to begin our journey earlier. But there is always time for tea before we begin our travel anywhere! We started from Nanded City around 4 p.m. after having a hot cup of tea and cream roll. The route is through Khanapur where the road meanders through the mountain. We reached the campsite which was on a plateau around 5:30 p.m. It was then that we got to see the grandeur of the surroundings. The majestic Sayhadri range in front of us and lush greenery everywhere.
The Sahayadri range from the campsite
Before the start
We climbed up a small hillock and after a quick photo session got to see the sun set behind the hills. This is when we realized how even the simple joys of life are sometimes a luxury.
By this time, all the other members had arrived. We were provided with our tent’s equipment and learnt how to put up a tent on our own. The organizers Shruti, Bhushan and Aditya were very helpful and made us feel just like home.
The tents after they were setup
There were around 50 people of varied age groups who had come for the event. Kids, astronomy enthusiasts, and just normal people like me who love camping.
Since it was in the middle of January, we had expected the temperatures to drop so, we were well stocked with warm layers.
After a quick meet and greet there was a quick walk-through on how the night would span out. As we waited for the stars to come out, we were served tea and kanda bhajji and then began our journey though a starry night.
Lets get started
Through the telescope Guan Sheng we got a glimpse of the craters on the moon, saw a star cluster and Jupiter. Bhushan had a session where we were taught how to find the North Star which is helpful in navigating if we are lost and without access to maps or directions. Identifying constellations was fun and there were also many stories about the constellations and their names.
By now the chill had set in and a campfire just added to the enjoyment. Dinner was lip smacking pithala, bhakri, and rice that was made on chulha. And the taste was irresistible. Pithala, bhakri, and rice is the staple food of the village folks and is an easy to prepare dish.
Camping is always incomplete without a campfire
Dinner was followed by a Q&A session and educational videos revolving around stars and planets. Everyone huddled around the campfire for more stories along with a hot cup of coffee. The moon was so bright that it looked like a small bulb had lit up the night sky. We got to see a shooting star what is also popularly know as tootata taara and yes we did make a wish!
We went back to our tents around 12:30 a.m and had to wake up at 4:30 a.m. to witness more astronomical wonders. Don’t judge the tent by its size, it accommodated the 3 of us easily and was pretty comfortable. The biggest surprise was that it was quite warm inside the tent as compared to the winter chill outside.
The next morning
In the morning, we saw Venus and Jupiter through the telescope.
The telescope Guan Sheng in the foreground
By 6 a.m the sun began to rise and this is where our adventures too were coming to an end. We had tea and biscuits as the sun rose from behind the mountains. The dark night sky slowly turning to a shade of beautiful red and orange. The birds began chirping telling us it was time to head back. We began our journey back home but still look up at the night sky, hoping to see another falling star to make a wish for another such starry night.