Dr Alister Graham and Dr Kekhrielhoulie Yhome with the students during the interactive session in Kohima on January 30.
Kohima, January 30 (MExN): Around 500 students from government schools from Kohima today had interacted with world-renowned astronomer Dr. Alister Graham from Australia at Rüzhükhrie Government Higher Secondary School, Kohima which ignited curiosity about the cosmos and the vast possibilities of scientific exploration among the students.
Astronomer Graham shared the students his own journey from a curious child marvelling at a moving light in the sky to working with NASA’s for extraterrestrial signals.
He encouraged the students to nurture their curiosity and pursue their dreams in science.
Graham explained that 'Nikhuli' is a stellar cluster and the center of a small galaxy that's colliding with a larger galaxy called NGC 4424, located in the Virgo galaxy cluster, about 54 million light-years away.
It was NASA's Chandra X-ray Observatory and Hubble Space Telescope that identified 'Nikhuli', the name comes from the Sumi Naga tribe that is related to the Tuluni festival, which symbolizes a rich harvest, he expressed.
Dr. Kekhrielhoulie Yhome, advisor for School Education & SCERT in his speech, reflected on humanity’s ancient fascination with the celestial world and its influence on Naga culture.
He emphasised the importance of embracing the unknown, urging the students to step beyond the limits of book knowledge.
The session concluded with closing remarks by Additional Director of School Education, Deenabandhu Panda, who commended Dr. Graham’s contributions to science and the leadership of the department in fostering such educational opportunities and aplauded gaining insights into astronomy and scientific discovery during the Q&A session.
