36th Annual Report (2023-24)

180 Workshop on Astronomy, Astrophysics and Cosmology - A faculty enrichment program' was organised from 04-10 January 2024, was organised by ICARD, Gauhati University and TLC-ACE, IUCAA, Pune. Coordinators: Sanjeev Kalita, Gauhati University, Dhruba J Saikia, IUCAA, TLC and Sowgat Muzahid, IUCAA 1. Possible combinations of early and late time cosmologies through BAO scales; Kalita, S. & Rabha, C., The European Physical Journal C, 83 (7), 671 (2023) (27th July 2023). 2. Immanuel Kant in the universe; Sanjeev Kalita, Astronomy & Geophysics, 64 (5), 5.29-5.33 (2023) (1st October 2023) (related to historical research in astronomy). 3. Formation of Massive Black Holes with M=(103–108) Mʘ at Pre-quasar Epochs through Hoyle–Lyttleton–Bondi Accretion of Self-interacting Dark Matter onto a Moving Seed; Das, N. and Kalita, S., The Astrophysical Journal, 961 (1), 105 (2024) (17th January 2024). 4. Constraining primordial black hole masses through f (R) gravity scalarons in Big Bang Nucleosynthesis; Talukdar, A., Kalita, S., Das, N. and Lahkar, N., Journal of Cosmology and Astroparticle Physics, 2024 (02), 019 (2024) (9th February 2024). 5. Kerr-scalaron Metric and Astronomical Consequences near the Galactic Center Black Hole; Paul, D., Bhattacharjee, P. and Kalita, S., The Astrophysical Journal, 964, 127 (2024) (22ndMarch 2024). 6. A Search for X-Ray/UV Correlation in the Reflection-dominated Seyfert 1 Galaxy Markarian 1044; Barua, S. et al., The Astrophysical Journal, 958 (1), 46, 2023 (10thNovember 2023). 7. Probing the magnetic field and dust grain properties of two dark clouds L1495 and L1498 through photopolarimetry; Choudhury, G.B. et al., PublicationsusingICARDfacilities Mon t h l y No t i ces o f t he Roya l Astronomical Society, 528 (4), 7156 (2024) (9th February 2024) . 8. A statistical and multiwavelength photometric analysis of a young embedded open star cluster: IC 1590 ; Sheikh, A. H. and Medhi, B.J., Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society, 528 (4), 7037 (2024) (13th February 2024). The ICARD, Gauhati University, runs the Gauhati University Observatory, which hosts two operating telescopes. One is a 9.25- Outreach programmes, including public lectures/skywatch inch Schmidt Cassegrain (motorised), and the other is a 6-inch Galilean (motorised). The observatory is used for M.Sc training in observational astronomy as part of the M.Sc physics course and for public outreach events. ICARD, Gauhati University, organised a Citizen Science Hackathon in July 2023. The mission was to identify MilkyWay-type galaxies from the images released by space telescopes and to extract possible techno- signature of Extra-terrestrial Civilizations from a list of radio signals. The best performers were awarded prizes at the department premises. List of public events at the observatory The three winners (3rd, 4th and 5th from right) with the astronomy team (left panel) and the first prize winner holding the prize distributed by Dr Sanjeev Kalita (right panel) A public outreach event named “ Realm of the Solar System and the Stars” was organised on 18 March 2024 for school and college students, teachers and parents in collaboration with Gauhati Planetarium. The programme components were (i) Sky viewing of celestial objects through telescopes, (ii) an Astronomy presentation by the A & A team (teachers and research scholars) and (iii) a poster presentation on the solar systembyMSc physics students of the ICARD.