“The Great Indian Star Count”
GISC2012

Join us in this international project
with

Globe at night
&
Windows to the Universe - World Wide Star Count“

Twinkle Twinkle little stars, how I wonder what you are” we all have heard or recited these lines when we were child. Kids of the present generation recite these lines but little do they know about the stars up there as they cannot see these tiny specks of lights up there in the skies. That’s what the city dwellers see in the skies or rather don’t see in the skies. But as you move away from city, the charm of night skies comes back.

Blame urbanization for the light filled night skies in cities. Yes we are talking about light Pollution. It obscures the stars in the night sky for city dwellers, interferes with astronomical observatories, and, like any other form of pollution, disrupts ecosystems and has adverse health effects. Light pollution is a side effect of industrial civilization. Its sources include building exterior and interior lighting, advertising, commercial properties, offices, factories, streetlights, and illuminated sporting venues. It is most severe in highly industrialized, densely populated areas of India, but even relatively small amounts of light can be noticed and create problems. Like other forms of pollution (such as air, water, and noise pollution) light pollution causes damage to the environment.

How to bring back the dark night skies so that we get to see our own milky way from backyard in our houses? Fighting light pollution is the only way to bring back stars in our lives. We can start by looking up and see how many stars can be seen in the night that would give us a hint as what is the level of light pollution in our locality.

Great Indian Star count is an event for the astronomy fraternity in which they give something back to the astronomy in the form of less light polluted skies. GISC is an opportunity for amateurs and professional astronomers, public and students to count the stars seen in their city skies and in turn allow us to estimate the level of light pollution, which in turn will be used in quantifying the light pollution.

Be part of the scientific study project to quantify light pollution in India by counting stars at night at your place. You do not have to be an expert in knowing the night sky, as a lay person who does not have basic knowledge of skies, you can contribute to GISC by observing the sky with a hollow pipe and in case you know the skies as an amateur astronomer, you can put in your efforts in qualitative sense by observing certain section of the sky more scientifically. Count the stars in a particular constellation and report online or through snail mail to us.