Just came back from Star Gazing at Bado/Badro Jabel, Sehwan Sharif.
This trip was dedicated to Al Biruni
Bado/Badro Jabel is about 3000ft high, about 50 kms from Sehwan Sharif and 320kms from Karachi, the weather on the way was Hot but at the top it was quite pleasant.
It was an Adventurous trip with KAASians and PWers.
Storyline by Zain (Cheers@PW)
So it was new Moon again and we were thinking of getting beyond the pollution and stuff. Although KaAS and PWers had gone to savor starlight from the shadows of the Hingol mud volcanoes last month, many of us could not join due to various reasons. It was now two months for most of the bunch since the last time we saw the Milky Way, and we were all too eager to get under the stars again. Bado Jabel/Badhra/Badro Jabel was decided as the venue. We had already gone there twice in the winters. Now we wanted to see the summer Milky Way from there. We packed four telescopes in our rides, and twenty people were on their way to the Badhra Summit at 12pm on 7th May 2011. We dedicated this event and others to come this year to the Muslim scientist Abu Rehan Al-Beruni, to commemorate the completion of a thousand years of his phenomenal work. My poor writing skills cannot do justice to the diverse accomplishments of this master of mathematics, astronomy, physical and natural sciences, who also distinguished himself as a geographer, historian, chronologist and linguist. He is also considered as an impartial writer on custom and creeds of various nations and was given the title Al-Ustadh. He wrote 32 treatises on astronomy alone out of which, sadly, only 6 survive.
Back to the trip log. Needless to say, the daytime temperature was high. We stopped over at Bismillah hotel near Sehwan to order lunch. When done with it, we waited until 04:30 for the Sun to settle down a bit, and resumed the journey towards the summit. The journey so far was smooth - no falt tyres etc. But halfway up the summit the Pajero's AC went into a slumber. I don't know what HB thought then, for I was in one of the other rides.
The Sun was still up when we arrived at the summit, but it had lost its heat. The breeze was rather cool and refreshing. The telescopes were set up and Asar salah was offered. The crescent Moon was just discernible, but "cheating" had already started. There were no clouds to interfere, but there was some haze for sure. Not as bad as it would have been at sea-level, but it was still there. We need to go to higher grounds more often.
We observed some neat deep space objects with the telescopes, but the 'object of the night' was a mysterious comet-like something that had appeared out of nowhere in the constellation of Sagittarius around midnight. It was plainly visible without optical aid and was stunning in binoculars. None of us were sure what it was. After a few minutes, it started to show noticeable movement, and I knew what it was - a rocket fuel dump. This was likely the first such sighting from Pakistan. Fahad captured it trailing across some long exposure shots.
Well, so much for the wordiness. Let's have HB narrate the rest through the lens of his camera.
To the participants: thank you all for your enjoyable company.
Vehicles:
1. Pajero
2. TLC
3. Corolla
4. HiAce - rented
Trip Details
07.5.11
Odometer 0 – 12:15 PM – Toll Plaza - Karachi - Diesel 68.70 Ltrs.
Odometer 120 – 1:30 PM – Toll Plaza - Hyderabad
Odometer 257 – 03:10 PM – Sehwan Sharif - Lunch
Odometer 318 – 05:30 PM – Bado Jabal Top
08.5.11
Odometer 318 - 06:40 AM - Leaving Badro Jabel
Odometer 354 – 07:30 AM – Pajero's Radiator bust.
Odometer 354 – 11:45 PM – Pajero reached home on a truck.
Drawn by Khalid Marwat.
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