You don’t need an expensive telescope to get a glimpse of the stars, satellites and planets that make up our universe. It’s possible to build a telescope even with a PVC pipe.
Around 40 students from 20 Kendriya Vidyalayas in the Bengaluru and Chennai regions constructed a five-inch telescope from scratch during a five-day workshop in Bengaluru. This is the third workshop conducted by the Kendriya Vidyalaya Sangathan to promote scientific temper among their students.
Tushar Purohit, who works at the Inter University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics — an autonomous institution set up by the University Grants Commission — said that the aim is to expand the knowledge of students. "Students had to first cut the PVC pipe, paint it and then assemble all the parts, including the mirror, the focuser and the view-finder. As many as 13 points were drilled in the pipe to fix the parts of the telescope.”
Hitesh V. Reddy and Charitra, class eleven students of KV Malleswaram, explained that painting the PVC pipe would ensure that the internal reflection did not affect the image point.
Somsutha Farthyal of KV Annanagar, Chennai, who was participating in the workshop with her classmate Krunal M. Kumbhare, said that the workshop was unique, as they got hands-on experience on a topic that they had not studied about in their textbooks. “I can’t wait to use this,” said Somsutha.
“We hope that the schools would organise public events and popularise the subjects," said Arvind C. Ranade, scientist at Vigyan Prasar.
