The Astronomy Society

Astronomy, originating from the Greek word astron ‘star’ and nomos ‘law’, is the scientific study of celestial objects such as stars, planets, comets, and galaxies. It evolved quite independently in India, China, Egypt and many parts of Europe as the first observational science.

The Astronomical Society at The Doon School was founded in 1957 and since then it has had members who have watched movies and slide shows and participated in outdoor activities such as ‘solar walk’, measuring the circumference of Earth, viewing the night sky near Mussoorie and making 3-D models of planet terrains and satellites. Many members have successfully participated in international competitions. In the past, the Society has organized visits to the Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) at Pune. Some of the members have also visited NASA for Space Camp which is organized by the Department of Science. In future, the Society has plans to take members to ISRO at Bangaluru and attend space camps in Europe.

Using optical instruments, such as different types of telescopes, are taught to all forms, while Astronomy as a subject is taught in IB curriculum. In future, a career in Astronomy and related sciences will become very lucrative, as space is seen to be the final frontier for human development.

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