CU hosts astronomy talks and night sky observation event
A special astronomy focused programme, titled "Astronomy Talks and Sky Observation 2.0", was held at Chittagong University (CU) to bring the wonders of the night sky closer to students.
Jointly organised by the Chittagong University Research and Higher Study Society (CURHS) and the astronomy organisation Durbin Citizens of the Far World, the event was held at the Faculty of Law auditorium on Wednesday, 10 December, from 3:00pm to 9:00pm. The day-long programme included lectures, quizzes and telescope-assisted sky observation in three phases.
The Bangladesh Education and Research Institution (BERI) was the official sponsor, while The Business Standard acted as media partner.
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Sanjida Siddika Haque Prima, President of CURHS, presided over the event, which was conducted by Aindrila Barua.
CU Deputy Vice-Chancellor (Administration) Dr Kamal Uddin attended as chief guest. He remarked that expanding research, modernising laboratories and fostering students' innovative thinking are essential to building a knowledge-based society in the 21st century. Science learning, he added, should not be confined to textbooks; universities must create opportunities for hands-on experiments, observation and idea generation. Regular seminars, workshops and research-based activities are vital to strengthening students' scientific and problem-solving abilities.
Dr Anjan Kumar Chowdhury and Rezaul Karim, professors at the CU Physics Department, attended as special guests.
Dr Ujjwal Kumar Deb, Professor of Mathematics at Chittagong University of Engineering and Technology (CUET), delivered the keynote address on "Cosmology: Ancient Questions in Modern Science". He noted that cosmology continues to explore age-old questions about the universe's origin, expansion and structure, while modern research on the Big Bang, dark matter and dark energy is pushing the boundaries of scientific understanding.
The first session featured an interactive discussion on fundamental astronomy, constellations and the scientific interpretation of the universe.
A university-level astronomy quiz competition took place in the second phase.
After dusk, participants observed lunar craters, visible planets and prominent constellations through telescopes as part of the sky-watching session.
