Projects
As part of this outreach, I engineered and constructed a fully functional remote planetarium using metal pipes to create a dome structure, paired with a projection system to recreate the night sky. To enhance the learning experience, I incorporated an audio-guided narration that walks viewers through the constellations, planets, and celestial phenomena visible in the simulated sky.
A. Remote Planetarium
The innovation centers on a mobile dome constructed from lightweight metal piping and paired with high-fidelity projection systems. This portable facility creates a realistic simulation of the night sky, including celestial motions and deep-space phenomena, enhanced by audio-guided tours explaining constellations, planets, and galaxies. It also features real-time satellite tracking and comparisons to astrophotography from the Slooh network. The impact is significant: deployed directly in schools, villages, and remote communities, it brings the universe to those who can’t access traditional planetariums.
B. DIY Scientific Exhibits
A) Wind Tunnel Exhibit
This hands-on wind tunnel demonstrates fundamental principles of aerodynamics and fluid dynamics. Visitors directly observe how air flows around various shapes and structures, visualizing concepts like lift, drag, turbulence, and laminar flow through smoke trails or streamers. By testing different wing profiles, vehicle models, or everyday objects, learners discover how design affects stability and efficiency. This tangible experimentation demystifies abstract physics concepts, cultivates problem-solving skills, and sparks critical thinking about real-world applications—from aircraft engineering to sustainable architecture.
B) Cloud Chamber Exhibit
The cloud chamber makes the invisible world of particle physics tangible. By cooling a vapor-saturated environment, it visualizes the trails of ionizing radiation—revealing cosmic rays, natural background radiation, and radioactive decay paths as ethereal condensation trails in real-time. As visitors track particle collisions and identify alpha, beta, and muon trails, they gain intuitive insight into subatomic interactions and radioactive phenomena. This direct engagement transforms theoretical nuclear physics into a visceral experience, fostering curiosity about the universe’s fundamental building blocks while honing observational analysis.
This portable planetarium was showcased in local schools, especially those serving underprivileged children, where it served as a tool not just for education, but for inspiration. Alongside the dome, I also set up interactive displays including a DIY wind tunnel and cloud chambers to demonstrate fundamental principles of aerodynamics and atmospheric science. These exhibits were designed to make science tangible, engaging, and fun—sparking questions and curiosity in the minds of young learners.