Short films, seminars, and lectures have been organised by RSC in the spirit of celebrating the International Year of Light.

As part of improving awareness among people of light and light-based technologies, the United Nations (UN) is observing 2015 as International Year of Light.

In tune with this, the Regional Science Centre and Planetarium (RSC) here is organising a series of programmes, including exhibitions, science lectures, seminars and workshops with light as their central theme. “The programmes will mainly be aimed at students,” said V.S. Ramachandran, project coordinator of the centre.

A month-long exhibition on Hubble Telescope, which will also mark the 25th year of the telescope sending its first image to earth, will begin at the centre in July. The show will comprise models of the telescope, observatories, and a wide range of photographs from the space.

Short film

The centre has already started screening an eight-minute short film on light and light-based technologies along with all the regular planetarium shows. “The movie unravels how the phenomenon of light and different technologies related to it has changed the human life on earth,” said Mr. Ramachandran.

Photonics

Seminars and popular lectures on photonics are among the programmes to be organised in the coming months at the centre. “This will be held in collaboration with the International School of Photonics of the Cochin University of Science and Technology (CUSAT),” said Jayant Ganguly, staff member at the centre.

The centre also has plans to hold short-term weekend courses and demonstration lectures on light-related technologies for non-science students as well as the general public. “This is expected to increase the awareness among people of various aspects of light, including the implications of light pollution,” said Mr. Ganguly.

A workshop on astrophotography and a quiz on light for students are some of the other events lined up for the coming months.