Astronomical Society of Dharmaraja College
Astronomical Society of Dharmaraja College is a student society of Dharmaraja College, Kandy which involves in study of astronomy. It is known as ASDRC in general. This is the common meeting place for students of Dharmaraja College, Kandy to communicate, investigate and standardize the knowledge pertaining to Astronomy and allied sciences.
History
Astronomical Society of Dharmaraja College was founded in year 1996 under the guidance of school master Mr. Menon Rajakrishna, proudly proclaiming the first school based Astronomical Society formed in Kandy district, Sri Lanka. But it was by 1999 it became a well organized and systematized club. During the initial days, it merely called by name 'Astronomy Club'. The name 'Astronomical Society of Dharmaraja College' was coined by then its president Harsha Kondasingha in 2003. Inaugural president of the society was Praveen Rodrigo Edirimuni. Since then, 10 presidents have served the society, year a piece. Mr. Menon Rajakrishna, Mr. A. Wansapura served it as masters-in-charge in the past and now it's Mr. Ranjith Bandara and Mr. Thilakaratne Bandara are the masters who represent the society in behalf of the academic staff of Dharmaraja College.
Organization and Structure
Astronomical Society of Dharmaja College is a student initiated society. It is patronized by the principal of Dharmaraja College and functioned under the inspection of one or two Masters-In-Charge (MICs). Society is headed by the president who is elected at the annual general meeting (AGM) for a period of one year. Office bearers include secretary, treasurer and their assistants along with president's, editor, student coordinator, study coordinator and an executive committee of 10. Besides, two students from each grade down to 6 are appointed as grade coordinators who are liable to the committee. ASDRC initiated from a handful of members at the beginning but now the number of membership has risen to 400. Almost all the advanced level students of the school bear membership of it. Moreover, committees consisting of members are involved in various general and technical tasks at events organized by the ASDRC.
Programs
ASDRC has been organizing various educational events to promote astronomy in Sri Lanka since its beginning. As Sri Lanka is a developing country and lacks adequate infrastructure, resources and recognition for astronomy and space science, Astronomical Society of Dharmaraja College acts a pivotal role in promoting interest for these subjects for its own member students as well as students outside. There is a twofold path adopted by ASDRC in action. First it gives priority for the advancement of knowledge. Thus it conducts weekly Astronomy lessons for its members. Then it takes measures to test the knowledge given. Continuous testing is remarked by ASDRC as the best way of keeping alive the student interest on the subject. Therefore it also conducts competitions for school and countrywide students annually and periodically.
Educational Programs
ASDRC organizes educational programs for all major happenings in the field of Astronomy covering both inter and outer school student community. This includes solar eclipse observation camps and meteor shower observation camps such as Leonids and Perseides watch. In year 2004, it organized a Venus Transit observation camp. Moreover, ASDRC has been organizing annual Astronomy workshops for school children in Sri Lanka for 11 consecutive years. It organized "To The Infinity" Astronomy workshop in 2005. And then the first multi-purpose Astronomy workshop and sky observation camp in Sri Lanka, "Beyond Infinity" on 30 September 2006. It sheltered 20 high schools from all over the country and conducted quiz competitions, lectures, observation seminars and observation competitions in one whole night. Its second and third chapters extended on 12 October 2007 and 15 November 2008. They were named "Exploring Beyond Possibilities" and "Expanding The Universal Imagination" respectively.
Competitions
There are two types of competitions conducted by ASDRC. Two groups of competitors are tested by those examinations. First is Dharmaraja College students. Students in grade 6 and above are tested and rated periodically to keep the level of their knowledge. The idea behind this is promoting the knowledge as well as building a strong senior Astronomy quiz team to compete in national level quiz competitions in behalf of the school. Second type of competition is targeted for the countrywide, below college level students. Having in mind their priorities, ASDRC conducts the 'Astro Olympiad' all-island inter school astronomy quiz competition and all-island inter school observation competition to enhance healthy competition between other schools in Sri Lanka. This was first organized in year 2002 and is one of the oldest Astronomy quiz competitions in Sri Lanka. Usually this competition consists of a written preliminary round, 2 semi finals and a grand final. Both semifinals and final are oral. Preliminary round is divided into 5 sub sections as Cosmology and Astrophysics, General Astronomy, Rocketry and Space Science, Astro History and Archaeoastronomy and Observational Astronomy. Best four teams selected from this round are taken into the semi finals and teams selected from them to the grand final. Winning team at the final is awarded the 'Astro Olympiad' challenge shield. Observation competition was initiated in year 2006 and notable that it is the mere second sky observation competition or star party in Sri Lanka. It usually consists of 4 or 5 sky observation tasks depending on the visibility and availability of the objects. Usually competing teams get Lunar Sketching, Jupiter Observation, Saturn Observation, Mars Observation, Constellation Mapping and Deep Sky Observation as for their tasks. The best team at these tasks get the ASDRC Observation shield.
Community Services
Astronomical Society of Dharmaraja College understands that its mission is to advance the knowledge pertaining to Astronomy in the entire country, rather than confining to its own school perimeters. Thus it conducts seminars for school children in rural areas. Number of schools including Theldeniya National College, Theldeniya, R. Premadasa K.V. Hasalaka, Gothami Balika Vidyalaya, Kandy and Rahula College, Katugasthota have got Astronomical societies after seminars conducted by the ASDRC. Out of them, the quiz team of Theldeniya National College has gone up to the national level performing well at major competitions.
Achievements
Students of ASDRC have won many regional, national and international level competitions in the past. This is due to the well maintenance of its standards of knowledge.
Quiz Competitions
Astronomy Quiz team of Dharmaraja College, Kandy has won many competitions, as much as 40 up to date. These are all national level competitions. Out of them, they maintain some startling performances such as 5 competition titles in a row at the 'Soma Pujitha Gunawardene all island inter school challenge quiz competition' conducted by Mahamaya Girls' College, Kandy and 6 victories in a row at the 'Hermon Mendis Challenge trophy Astronomy quiz competition' conducted by St.Anthony’s College, Kandy.
Other Achievements
ASDRC students have performed exceptionally well at individual competition too. In 2007, students from ASDRC won two silver medals and a bronze at the '1st Sri Lankan Astronomy and Astrophysics Olympiad competition' conducted by Arthur C. Clark Institute for Modern Technology (ACCIMT), Moratuwa in collaboration with University of Colombo (Uoc) and Institute of Physics, Sri Lanka. Students selected from this competition participated at the 1st International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics, Chiang Mai, Thailand and one was able to win an Honorable Mention.. It marked the first ever award won by a Sri Lankan student at an international competition regarding Astronomy. In 2008, at the '2nd Sri Lankan Astronomy and Astrophysics Olympiad competition', ASDRC students again won a gold medal and a bronze and got selected to the 2nd International Olympiad on Astronomy and Astrophysics, Bandung, Indonesia. One student performed well and won another Honorable Mention there.
Influence
Astronomical Society of Dharmaraja College is a pioneering student organization that influenced many schools and institutions outside school. 'Rocket and Space Science Society of Kandy District' is an offspring of it. During the period of 2002/2003, students interested in astronomy in various schools pointed out the necessity of a combined attempt to overturn the lull on fields like Astronomy among the students in Kandy, Sri Lanka. Then the prominent Astronomical Society in the area, Astronomical Society of Dharmaraja College took initiatives to form a regional astronomical society in collaboration with Colombo Rocket and Space Science Society which was under the patronage of Prof. Chandana Jayarathna (University of Colombo). Presidency of this club is circulated among the member schools in an yearly basis. First president being Dharmaraja College's Shamila Wickramasuriya, ASDRC played an important role in generalizing astronomy with this club, since its beginning.
See also
- Dharmaraja College, Kandy
- List of Dharmaraja College Alumni
- Dharmaraja-Kingswood Cricket Encounter
- Astronomy
- Astrophysics
- Space Science
- Observational Astronomy