Project PARIDHI – Measuring the circumference of earth by using Qutub Minar, Mehrauli > 10am-1:30pm on 23rd September 2013

Time : 10:00 am - 1:30 pm

Entry : Free
For queries please contact:
Anupriya Keshri; pr@space-india.net ; 9212669953
Public Relations Officer,
SPACE India.

Place : Qutub Minar, Mehrauli, New Delhi
Venue Info : Events | Map | Nearest Metro Stations(Yellow Line) - 'Saket' & 'Qutub Minar'

Event Description : Project PARIDHI – Measuring the circumference of earth by using Qutub Minar, A 2300 years old experiment

SPACE the pioneer organization working towards the development of science and astronomy in India, will conduct its flagship project “Project PARIDHI”, a project to measure circumference of earth during the Autumnal equinox on September 23rd, 13 by using Delhi landmarks Qutub Minar, as a Gnomon (Gnomon, a greek word for an object whose shadow serves as an indicator of time especially of the hour of the day) 

Monday, September 23rd, 2013 is the day when night and day are of same length and the Sun crosses over the Earth's equator on its way south, marking the beginning of autumn. Qutub Minar’s shadow will be marked to calculate the local noon, and in turn to measure the circumference of earth. SPACE invites students, teachers, public and visitors at Qutub Minar to be a part of this 2300 years old experiment. Already 100 confirmed participants from all across the Delhi and NCR are taking part in this event.
Project Paridhi is a flagship project initiated by SPACE FOUNDATION in the year 2010, in order to popularize Hands on Science. Under this project, SPACE experts will replicate and in fact take actual measurements of the shadows made by the Sun to measure the circumference of Earth as done 2300 years back by astronomer - Eratosthenes. SPACE has been conducting this project previously at various national heritages like Jantar Mantar, Qutub Minar and also by using the giant sundial constructed at Barapullah during the commonwealth games. In this experiment students have been able to calculate the circumference of earth to an accuracy of 99% with comparison to the real circumference. With the help of this project SPACE has highlighted that such Indian monuments can be used as tools to demonstrate and get the common man interested in science.
Mr. C. B Devgun, President SPACE, said that “SPACE has been conducting this program from the past 3 years in India and everyone should do this experiment at least once in their lifetime, this project is a showcase for proving that science can be best learnt by doing. “Project Paridhi” is one of the best examples of hands on science activity as one can calculate the circumference of earth by using simple backyard tools. Up till more than 15000 SPACE school students have measured the circumference of earth successfully.  
An equinox occurs twice a year around March 20 and September 23, when the tilt of the Earth's axis is inclined neither away from nor towards the Sun, the center of the Sun being in the same plane as the Earth's equator. The name "equinox" is derived from the Latin aequus (equal) and nox (night), because around the equinox, the night and day have approximately equal length. The days of equinox are known as Autumnal equinox which marks the first day of the season of autumn and Spring equinox which marks the first day of the season spring in the Northern hemisphere.
This will be demonstrated to the public THUS SHARING THE CAUSE OF SPREADING SCIENCE to the MASSES particularly at a location where a lot of tourists visit. The measurements at Qutub Minar will be made for the 2nd time during autumnal equinox in the process of a 1 year cycle of measurements during all solstices and equinoxes to fulfill the scientific need to conduct the same experiment during a different angle of the Sun in the sky.  

Info on experiment – space-india.org/paridhi

About Project PARIDHI:
THIS PROJECT WAS INITIATED BY SPACE FOUNDATION 3 YEARS AGO. Under this project the students find out the circumference of the Earth by taking measurements of the shadows made by sun in a day to calculate the size of earth and its shape as done 2300 years back by an astronomer Eratosthenes, who was able to measure it within 2% of the present accepted value. Project Paridhi can be done on any day of the year, but on days of equinox and solstices the sun’s position is optimized for calculations. Gnomons of all sizes and shapes have been used, including pepsi bottles and cricket wickets to huge gnomons such as samrat and ram yantra at Jantar Mantar and sundial at Barapullah. This project has also been accredited in a report on Astronomy in public places and highways by French Professors, Mr. Prof Denis Savoie and Prof Bonnet Bidaud. 

About SPACE Foundation
SPACE FOUNDATION CAME INTO EXISTENCE in 2001, with the goal of popularizing science and inculcating scientific temperament among masses specially students in India. Its aims and objectives are derived from the Constitution of India – Part IV-A Fundamental Duties of Citizen, Article 51 A (h), says – “It shall be the duty of every citizen of India - to develop the scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform”. SPACE has been changing the face of Science and Astronomy awareness, education and innovation in India through path-breaking concepts, services and programs. We are constantly striving to use these programs to foster scientific temperament in society, especially among the youth who are the harbingers of our future. The ultimate intention is to create an intelligent, analytic and space savvy global community who will be the future leaders in mains exploration of space and the universe, in a world that is rapidly heading to a space age. SPACE is also a part of the advisory panel for the restoration of our national heritage and scientific observatory Jantar Mantar.