When you start liking camping on weekends, you also start experiencing magic of nights, The darkness envelope around the tent and starry skies. Wow I love the night in all its glory, luckily Star Gazing near Pune is easily possible for most of us having blessed by Sahyadri mountain ranges and numerous forts around safe for camping.
What is best time for Star gazing ?
- December to February
- Early Winter or Early Spring provides you cloudless nights (preferably with little or no moon.
- Summers could be too hot, Winter nights could be too cold, as example Harishchandragad top experienced 5~6 degrees temperatures
Which are best locations near Pune for star gazing ?
Star glazing needs super darkness in the environment and obviously such sites are way far from city lights where the sky views are poor due to glares …
- Village Pusane in Mawal (~20 kms away from Chinchwad)
- Harishchandragad via Pachnai
- Raireshwar fort
- Lohagad
- Bhamburde village near Lonavala
- Kelve Road which is three stations after Virar on Western Railway
- Vangani near Karjat
- Mamnoli, near Kalyan
What do you expect to learn ?
- What is Star
- Birth and death of a star
- Meaning by Constellation
- Meaning of Nebula
- Meaning of Cluster
- About Galaxy
Things to carry for Star Gazing
- The usual binoculars and small telescopes
- Big 10″ or above telescopes will be normally arranged by organizers
- A star-map (actual print)
- A tablet/laptop with Stellarium App
- One small (dim) torch for reading
- One big torch for other purpose
- Celestron astromaster Reflecting Telescope (available online)
- Telescopes on Amazon
Last Sunday I had beed to Harishchandragad for night camping and took some beautiful sky photographs, but I also remember attending event organized by Khagol Vishwa in co-ordination with Vishwa Scientific and Rotary Club, Chinchwad, to celebrate “International Year of Astronomy” & experience what Galileo saw the same day but 400 years back 🙂
Hey ! look at them … see what happens after glazing stars !!! ha ! ha !!!! 
Relaxing with my friend Manoj .. Chatting around on weekend camping … under the roof of million stars …
Here are some tips and suggested information with locations for weekend camping near Pune
Read my latest guide based on my practical experience
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