May 24 or 25, 2024 - Camping Under the Stars!
Astronomy camp for all age groups with experienced astronomers, large telescope and other fun activities, great food and exclusive tents and washrooms!
Date & Time
25 May 2024 at 3:00 pm – 26 May 2024 at 10:00 am
Location
Rocky Ridge Cafe
Survey No. 74/3, Anna Nagar, Thadikal, Taluk, Denkanikottai, Tamil Nadu 635107, India
Schedule
3.00 PM: Arrival/Relax and enjoy the farm and take in the views. 3.15 to 4:00 PM: Solar Astronomy with special Hydrogen Alpha Telescope.
4:00 PM - Theory session on astronomy 5 PM: Tea and Snacks
5.15 PM: Trek to nearby hill to watch the sunset. 6.30PM: Stargazing session 2 - Watch nebula, dense star clusters, double stars with powerful telescopes. Introduction to the night sky. Learn to identify some constellations, names of some bright stars. Also, watch artificial satellites with your naked eyes.
8.30PM-9.30PM: Buffet Dinner and bonfire 9.30 PM: Go to sleep, or NOT! If you choose to stay awake, we will show you some more deep space objects (Hands on with entry level telescope for Teenagers and Adults is optionally available. Ask us if interested). 4.30 AM: Stargazing with telescopes resume. Explore craters and mountains on our Moon, see the morning constellations, Saturn, Mars, artificial satellites and learn how the sky changes with time. Witness the glorious milky way with your naked eye and take photographs with your camera/phone and tripods.
6.30 AM: Tea and biscuits.
7:00 AM Report to café for tractor ride to a picturesque lake and a short trek on a nearby hilltop. Suitable for kids and those with no trekking experience. You can also walk to the temple if you prefer. It is about 1.6km one way 8.30 AM to 9.30 AM: Elaborate breakfast and leave by 10 AM.
About the venue
Rocky Ridge, Denkanikottai
- -About 80 km from Bangalore
- -RiSa Astronomy Observatory with high quality equipment
- -Tent stay on an organic farm, cottages at extra cost
- -Campfire and outdoor dining
- -Entry by prior registration only, no walk-ins
What to expect
- -Frequented by kids and families. A safe and enjoyable event for all age groups.
- -The farm is close to a forest, so you must follow the instructions given by the farm.
- -Water, washrooms and parking are available.
- -Food is pre-ordered. On-demand food and other items may not always be available.
- -Lunch is not included. If you want lunch at the farm, call the café beforehand to make sure it is available, and pay the farm directly.
- -Shops are a few minutes' drive away, but they stock basic village essentials only.
- -Only Jio works at 4G speeds at the farm. Airtel works for a few minutes on the trek route only. A Jio hotspot is available on request for light use.
About your stay
- -Tents are standard Coleman or Decathlon camping tents.
- -They will look very tiny if this is your first time camping. We have used tents like these for over a decade, and thousands of families have camped with us.
- -Your tent is exclusive to your family or group. A tent takes 2 or 3 adults, and larger groups get more than one tent.
- -Washrooms are exclusive to your family or group when you register for 2 or more people. If you come alone, the washroom is shared and an exclusive tent depends on availability.
- -Cottages are available at extra cost for 2 or more paying participants, subject to availability. They take 2 to 6 adults on cots and have a ceiling fan, clean sheets, a geyser and an attached washroom. They are not air-conditioned, so please do not expect luxury accommodation.
What's included
- -Buffet dinner and buffet breakfast, plus evening tea and snack
- -Vegetarian and non-vegetarian food
- -Sleeping bags and sleeping mats
- -Astronomy theory session and viewing through the telescope
- -A hike to a nearby hill for the sunset view
Getting there
- -We do not provide transport. You have to reach on your own. There is plenty of parking for cars and tempos.
- -By bus, it takes 3 buses and about 3 hours:
- -Bus 1: KR Market or Silk Board (start of the Electronic City flyover) to Hosur.
- -Bus 2: Hosur to Denkanikottai.
- -Bus 3: Denkanikottai towards Panchapalli dam. Get down at the Dhadigal stop. This bus passes in front of our gate, and the stop is about 200 metres away.
- -Buses run every hour, and the same route works for the return.
- -By taxi: no taxi is available at the farm, so ask the driver who drops you to take you back the next day. Yellow board vehicles also pay an interstate tax at the check post for entering Tamil Nadu.