EQUINOX DAY - Sept 23rd, 09:04 AM UT (14:34IST)

PROJECT PARIDHI 

On Equinox Day, join us in PROJECT PARIDHI - A citizen science project to measure the circumference of the earth with shadow measurements

SPACE is embarking on yet another international citizen science project to measure the size of the earth with shadows measurements – “Project Paridhi – measure the earth again”. Under this project students will replicate and in fact take actual measurements of the shadows made by sun to gather the size of earth and its shape as done 2300 years back by astronomer Eratosthenes. This project involves reading of shadows at local noon by pair of teams on the same longitude on the globe. Eg cities like New Delhi, Banglore and Alma-ta in Kazakhstan fall almost with one degree of longitude and readings taken at the same time from these cities can tell us about the size and shape of the earth. Starting on 23rd September on the autumnal equinox day, this project initially will have a pan-Asian presence by having readings from India, Pakistan, Kazakhstan, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, china and Russia. The observation base will be extended to global arena by next winter solstice in December 2011. This project is a showcase for proving that science can be best learnt by doing.
Register and find out more here: http://www.space-india.org/paridhi