Download astronomy discovery tour to india

ASTRONOMY DISCOVERY TOUR TO INDIA – UNIQUE
OPPORTUNITY
1 – 21 SEPTEMBER 2009
ITINERARY
1 September – London – Delhi
Depart on International scheduled flight to Delhi.
2 September – Delhi
Arrive at Delhi International airport.
On arrival in Delhi, the guest will be met by our representative and transferred to hotel.
Late afternoon orientation drive through the New Delhi. Also visit the Jantar
Mantar (Observatory).
A unique structure raised in 1724, now lies in the heart of Delhi's commercial
centre near Connaught place. This is the Jantar Mantar, one of several
astronomical observatories raised by Maharaja Jai Singh II of Jaipur. The
various abstract structures within the Jantar Mantar are, in fact, instruments
that were used for keeping track of celestial bodies. Yet, Jantar Mantar is not
only a timekeeper of celestial bodies, it also tells a lot about the technological
achievements under the Rajput kings and their attempt to resolve the mysteries regarding
astronomy.
Welcome dinner with dances at a specialty restaurant.
Return to the hotel for
Overnight at hotel.
3 September - Delhi
Late morning you will be taken to visit Old Delhi – the former centre of Moghul Power,
Old Delhi offers ancient monuments, narrow streets and bustling bazaars. Drive past the
Red Fort, built in 1648 and board the ‘rickshaw ride’ for a unique experience from the
Red Fort, through “Chandni Chowk” or Silver Street, experiencing the sights and sounds
of this very busy avenue heading west from the Fort. Later visit the Jamia Masjid, the
greatest mosque in India and completed in 1658 by Shah Jahan who also built the Taj
Mahal, and the Raj Ghat, the simple memorial to Mahatma Gandhi.
Afternoon free for own activities.
Dinner and overnight at hotel.
4 September - Delhi – Kathgodam
Morning free at the hotel for independent activities.
Late morning check out from the hotel.
Later visit New Delhi - drive past the stately government buildings of the British Era
designed by Lutyens, including the India Gate & the Presidential Palace. Continue
onto the beautiful Humayuns tomb of the Mughal era & predecessor of the world
famous Taj Mahal. End the tour at the towering minaret of Qutab Minar.
After an early dinner transfer to the Railway Station for train to Kathgodam.
Leave: Delhi
at 2110 hrs
Arrive: Kathgodam at 0515 hrs
Overnight on board the train.
by Ranikhet Express (2nd A/c Sleeper)
5 September - Arrive Kathgodam – Nainital
Upon arrival met and transferred Nainital (35 kms), upon arrival check in to the hotel.
Morning free for own activities.
Afternoon visit Nainital - The Church of St. John in the Wilderness, built in 1846 and
one of the earliest colonial structures, is just beyond Mallital. The Secretariat was
designed in 1899 by F.W. Stephens, the architect who also designed the grand VT and
Churchgate railways stations of Mumbai.
Evening visit the Mall with its shops, stalls, pony rides and swings stretching to one side.
The older colonial areas are around Mallital, on the northern edge, while Tallital is the
transport centre.
Dinner and overnight at hotel.
6 September - Nainital
A ropeway from the Mall leads to the vantage point of Snow View, at a height of 2,270
metres. It is also possible to reach the peak by a 2 km hike along steep mountain trails or
hire a pony from the Mall. At the top there is a viewing area offering a vista of
Himalayan peaks. You can amble along the promenade and sit back to enjoy the view at
the cafes on the summit. A further 6 kms up and you reach the Naina Peak at 2,611
metres.
Later visit the Observatory - Aryabhatta Research Institute of
Observational Sciences (ARIES) – Situated on Manora peak it is
about 1 Km from Hanumangarhi if some one prefers to visit it on
foot. By road it is about 9 Kms from Nainital. It is a centre of
astronomical studies and optical tracking of artificial satellites. For
night viewing of stars and planets some days are fixed on moon lit
nights and permission is necessary.
Observatory was established at Nainital in 1955 and shifted to present location of
Manora Peak in 1961. The primary objective of the observatory has been to develop
facilities for modern astrophysical research in stellar, solar & theoretical branches of
astrophysics. On some selected clear nights the visitors are also shown some celestial
objects through the telescopes.
Dinner and overnight at hotel.
7 September - Nainital – Unchangaon
Morning drive to Unchangaon (180 kms), upon arrival check in at hotel.
Fort Unchagaon is a heritage hotel is situated near River Ganges, known for sighting of
Gangetic Dolphins and its proximity to an ancient temple of Amantika Devi.
Rest of the day free for own activities.
Dinner and overnight at hotel.
8 September - Unchangaon – Agra
Morning drive to Agra (180 kms), upon arrival check in at hotel.
Visit Red Fort and the Taj Mahal.
Red Fort - lies on the bend of the river Yamuna, almost in the heart of
the town. It was built by Akbar as his citadel over the years 1563-73 in
the finest architectural style. It has imposing gates and walls of red
sandstone and a moat.
Taj Mahal - This most famous Moghul monument was constructed by
Emperor Shah Jahan in memory of his wife Mumtaz Mahal "the lady
of the Taj". It has been described as the most extravagant monument ever built for love,
for the emperor was heartbroken when Mumtaz died after 17 years of marriage, during
the birth of her 14th child. (Taj Mahal is closed on Friday).
Dinner and overnight at hotel
9 September - Agra – Jaipur
Morning drive to Jaipur (221 kms), en route visit Fatehpur Sikri.
Fatehpur Sikri the deserted, red sandstone city that was built by Emperor Akbar as his
capital and palace in the 16th century. Also visit the Bulund Darwaza the largest gateway
in the world.
Continue drive to Jaipur and upon arrival – check into the hotel.
Afternoon free for own activities.
Dinner and overnight at hotel
10 September - Jaipur
Morning tour of the impressive Amber Fort, situated on a ridge just outside Jaipur City.
At the foot of the hill you will mount your caparisoned elephant for the slow but
steady climb up to the main gate, making your entrance in the time honoured fashion.
The Fort, completed in the early 18th century, took over 100 years to build and
now, although deserted, offers a fascinating insight into the lifestyle of the
Moghul ruling families.
Afternoon city tour of Jaipur – visit the imposing City Palace, still home to the
Maharaja although several of the rooms are now open to the public. Many antiques and
artefacts belonging to the ruling family are housed here, including a collection of
weaponry. You will also visit the Hawa Mahal "Palace of the Winds", and the open-air
Jantar Mantar Observatory to see the vast astronomical instruments. Enjoy a stroll
through the colourful bazaar before returning to your hotel.
Dinner and overnight at hotel
11 September - Jaipur – Mandawa
Morning you will drive to Mandawa (157 km). Upon arrival in Mandawa, check-in at
hotel.
Afternoon visit the town, a painted arched gateway adorned with Lord Krishna and his
cows leads to the bazaar. You can wander through the streets where mansions of rich
merchants are adorned with elaborate & lively frescoes, cataloging the life,
habits/fashions of the Marwari community.
Overnight at hotel.
12 September - Mandawa
Day free for own activities. Overnight at hotel.
13 September - Mandawa – Delhi – Udaipur
Morning drive to Delhi (250 kms) airport for flight for Udaipur.
Depart: Delhi at 1635 hrs by 9W-3325
Arrive: Udaipur at 1810 hrs
Upon arrival met and transferred to the hotel. Dinner and overnight at hotel
14 September - Udaipur – Ranakpur – Udaipur
The Udaipur Solar Observatory is situated on an island in the middle of the
Lake Fatehsagar and the main office building is located at its NW-shore near
Bari Road - Rani Road Junction. The sky conditions at Udaipur are quite
favourable for solar observations. The large water body surrounding the
telescopes decreases the amount of heating of the surface layers. This decreases
the turbulence in the air mass and thereby improves the image quality and
seeing. The main objective of obtaining the high spatial and temporal resolution
observations of solar photospheric and chromospheric activity is to understand
the various dynamic phenomena occurring on the surface of the Sun.
Late afternoon enjoy a boat cruise on the placid waters of Lake Pichola. From the lake
you have a wonderful view of the City Palace stretching along the east bank, while the
south bank has pleasant gardens running down to the waterside. (Boat ride depending
upon the water level of the Lake)
Dinner and overnight at hotel.
15 September - Udaipur – Mount Abu
Morning City tour of Udaipur, one of India's most romantic cities and famed for its
lovely palaces and lakes. Begin by visiting the City Palace and wandering through its
beautiful rooms and apartments, then continue on to the Garden of Maidens "Sahelionki-bari”.
Later drive to Mount Abu (225 kms) enroute visiting Ranakpur Temples – the most
magnificent 15th century Jain temples situated in the deep secluded valley of the Aravalli
Hills. Though over 500 years old, the temples here are superbly preserved in a nearperfect condition. In the centre is the main “Chaumukha temple” dedicated to Adinath.
The most distinctive features are the 29 halls supported by 1444 pillars, of which no two
are exactly alike. Every conceivable surface is carved and every corner and angle is
engraved with Jain images.
Proceed to the Mt. Abu (140 kms). Upon arrival, check-in at hotel.
16 September - Udaipur – Mount Abu (contd)
Mount Abu - A serene retreat set amidst lush forested hills, Mount Abu is the only hill
station in Rajasthan. Situated at the southern tip of the Aravali range, this pleasant hill
retreat in Rajasthan owes its cool climate to its rich flora covering the entire hillside that
includes coniferous trees and flowering shrubs.
Dinner and overnight at hotel
17 September - Mount Abu
Morning visit the Observatory Infrared Telescope Observatory at Gurushikhar, Mt. Abu
(PRL)
The Infrared Telescope at Mount Abu is the first major facility in India
specifically designed for ground based infrared observations of celestial
objects. The telescope is located near the hill resort of Mount Abu in the
state of Rajasthan. The observatory is at an altitude of 1680 metres adjacent
to Gurushikhar - the highest peak in the whole of central India. Further the
low amount of precipitable water vapour (1-2 mm during winter) at
Gurushikhar makes it a good site for the infrared telescope observations.
The site has been found to be good (about 150 cloud free nights per year) for
astronomical observations. The specifications for surface finish of the telescope mirrors
has been one-tenth of 589 nm line of sodium so that the telescope can be effectively used
for imaging studies at both optical and infrared wavelengths. The optical system of the
telescope consists of 1.2 m paraboloid primary mirror that can be used in conventional
Cassegrain and Coude configurations using hyperboloid secondary mirrors. The standard
Cassegrain configuration utilises a non-vibrating secondary mirror with an effective focal
ratio of f/13.
For infrared observations, to detect faint objects in the presence of sky brightness
gradients a provision for nodding the primary mirror has been made. In addition there is
provision for a vibrating secondary mirror with an effective focal ratio of f/45 for
modulation of star signal. The second optical configuration consists of f/45 focal ratio
Coude system for very heavy focal plane instruments like high resolution spectrographs.
Later in the evening visit the stunning array of exquisite Dilwara Jain temples,
beautifully carved temples built between 11th and 13th century A.D. are sheer elegance in
marble, dedicated to the jain Tirthankaras. The Vimal Vasahi temple is the oldest of these
dedicated to the first Tirthankara. Built in 1031 A.D. (by Vimal Shah-a merchant and
representative of then Gujarat ruler), it is a superb example of temple architecture.
Another is Lun Vasahi temple and Adhar Devi temple with its many stairs is a tourist
attraction.
Dinner and overnight at hotel
18 September - Mount Abu – Ahemdabad – Pune
Morning drive to Ahemdabad (240 kms), upon arrival transfer to the airport for flight to
Pune.
Depart:
Arrive:
Ahemdabad
Pune
at 1815 hrs
at 1950 hrs
by 9W-3426
Upon arrival met and transferred to the hotel. Dinner and overnight at hotel.
19 September -Pune
Morning visit to the Observatory - A private observatory was founded by Capt. W.S.
Jacob at Poona (modern Pune). It was in operation from 1842 to Jacob’s death in 1862.
The main work done by the founder was the observation of 244 double stars, of which he
published a catalogue. He is also famous for his calculation of the orbits of a few
binaries, e.g., Centauri, and in particular for the triplicity of Scorpii in 1847.
Dinner and overnight at hotel.
20 September - Pune – Mumbai
Day is at Pune to visit University and the surrounding regions.
Later transfer to the airport for flight to Mumbai. Upon arrival met and transferred to the
hotel.
Depart: Pune at 1750 hrs by 9W-102
Arrive: Mumbai at 1825 hrs
Upon arrival and met and transferred to the hotel. Dinner and overnight at hotel.
21 September - Mumbai – London
Morning transfer to the International airport for flight back home.
NB. Programme details may be change according to local circumstances
M:\programmes\Astronomy Inida-Daily Itinerary.doc