Celestial wonders of the southern sky
"Bandung" often evokes images of coffee and starry shopping scene. Certainly, Bandung has a glamorous charm that gets Jakartans ask again, even if it means moving the hell of issue two and a half hours away on the toll road.
During his visit to Bandung, though, I thought about a real change in the atmosphere. Still starry and glamorous, but less fancy mixed drinks named after celebrities, kept withdrawn from fashion magazines, or the best DJ of the first order. Rather, it implies escape the urban bustle to be carried away by the cosmic grandeur of heaven.
Driving one hour north towards the serene hills of Lembang, I wanted to feed my inner geek Observatorium Bosscha, the only professional observatory Indonesia and one of the few in the southern hemisphere of the planet . The visit fills me with wonder and awe that I saw in the history of the universe from an Indonesian perspective.
Old science, youth thrill
Going down the lush gardens, dew covered, I entered a Dutch style of study to meet Evan Irawan Akbar, an astrophysics researcher at the Bandung Institute of technology (ITB), and Yatny Yulianty, curator of the observatory. Having expected graying professors, it is surprising to find them in the twenties or thirties.
Naturally, my first question is why studying celestial beings light years when Earth itself has more problems that humanity can never understand.
"Why not?" Smiled Yatny. "Everyone was amazed by the beauty of the evening sky. This in itself is quite a" wow factor "to attract people to astronomy."
In ancient astronomy was important for navigation, timing and determination of planting seasons, harvesting and hunting, explained Evan. Astronomy is the oldest science known to mankind. Most cultures have their own versions of traditional astronomy. In ancient Javanese people, the Waluku constellation (Orion) is an important marker of the seasons, as written in the Pranata mangsa, an agricultural Javanese solar calendar pre-Islamic bible.
"The Orion rises four minutes earlier by day. In ancient Java, the rooster crows before dawn, farmers take a handful of rice grains, stretch an arm and raise the open palm eastward Waluku. When the palm must be raised high enough angle so that the grains begin to fall, it was during the planting season begins, "said Evan.
now that modern technology has often replaced these functions, astronomy has become more scientific quest to answer philosophical questions on innate universe in mind and the human heart.
Although astronomy is a science with many practical applications, it often invites other disciplines to research and develop new inventions eventually become production tools used by the average Joe on a daily basis. for example, the digital camera was invented in the 1960s for unmanned NASA missions to Mercury and Venus.
Indonesia's contributions to world astronomy
Modern astronomy began in Indonesia between 1595-1597 as Dutch explorer Frederick de Houtman sailed in search of spice islands. When the ship was lost at sea, Houtman looked up and noticed that the stars appear different from the tropical sky. He drew a map of the four constellations, used for orientation, and ended in Batavia and Aceh.
Back in the Netherlands, de Houtman compatriots were delighted with the four constellation map and sent on another trip to Nusantara to make a complete map of the sky. Thereafter, the imperalists easily found Nusantara. It marked the breakthrough of Holland in the spice trade and the precursor to the creation of the colony of the Dutch East Indies. "It was a conquest and economic policy elegantly packaged in astronomy," said Evan.
In the 18th century German pastor Johann Mohr came to Batavia and established a small observatory to satisfy his hobby of observing eclipses and movements of Venus. After Mohr's death there was a period of silence for two centuries until Indonesia astronomy Bosscha.
Karel A. R. Bosscha was a Dutch tycoon in the tea business of the Indies. Although not a scientist himself, the father and grandfather were Bosscha physicists. As a student in Delft, Holland, Bosscha founded an amateur astronomy club on campus. He then left and joined his father-in-law tea plantation in West Java Kerkhoven, which has some of the richest men in India.
Before dying, the father of Bosscha ordered him to use his wealth to contribute to the advancement of science and technology in India. In 1923 Bosscha honored the wish of his father by establishing Observatorium Bosscha Technische Hogeschool van for Bandung, the predecessor of the ITB.
Bosscha hired Dutch-Madiun astronomer Joan G.E.G. Vault to become the first director of the observatory (from 1923-1940). The research Arch with Observatorium Bosscha included double stars, parallax measurements, and photometry of variable stars and clusters. Thank you to the Vault of negotiations with the Dutch government, Observatorium Bosscha became independently operated under the ownership of the Astronomical Association of Dutch East Indies, whose board included Dutch business and government some officials based Indies powerful.
Astronomy for fun
As a child in elementary school, I loved astronomy courses because they seem to come with a sense of mystery and magic. But here in Indonesia, many teachers too afraid to explore astronomy with their classes for fear of "being wrong".
"I can not tell you how many times we have done at school telescopes gift and taught classes how to use them. When I come back to visit them the following year, I ask" ? did you have fun stargazing "they said," We were stuffed telescopes in the closet because they do not work, "says Evan" When I check, telescopes work very well, but are perceived differently because images. appear upside down. But teachers do not receive and are afraid to make a fool of themselves before class. "
Nevertheless, there are still thousands of astronomy enthusiasts throughout Indonesia in Amateur clubs in Jakarta, Bandung, Yogyakarta, Surabaya, Bondowoso and many others. And despite never advertising , Observatorium Bosscha continues to get a steady stream of visitors who come "for fun." Some, like me, make the mistake of coming in the rainy season when the nocturnal observations are closed. However, many are happy to just stop for a chat and a tour at the moment, and the return of the dry season (April to October) to look through the majestic Zeiss and Schmidt telescopes at night. in 2012, public nights were booked throughout the season.
Evan and Yatny admit to being astronomers in Indonesia is not an easy task. in addition to covering the search for a country of 1.9 square kilometers, the Bosscha astronomers should also participate in public services such as driving tours for visitors and training in schools across the country. It should really be more, at least one for each time zone.
"We are still waiting for the next 'Bosscha' to get there," joked Yatny.
Observatorium Bosscha
Jalan Teropong Bintang
Cikahuripan
Lembang
Bandung
Tel (022) 27801
Web http://bosscha.itb.ac.id/in/kunjungan.html
daytime visits (Rp7,500 per person) available all year round: saturday 9h00-1: 00 PM, or from Tuesday to Friday only for parties of 25 or more.
public evening observations (of Rp10,000 per person) will resume from April to October 2013, except during Ramadan. Time TBA.
All visits must be booked in advance, and appointments met on time.
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