Guwahati : The Guwahati Planetarium is set to host a six-day Astronomy Festival from May 14 to 19, bringing together leading astronomers, scientists and space researchers from some of India’s premier scientific institutions for a series of public outreach and educational programmes.

The festival is being organised in collaboration with the Astronomical Society of India under Assam’s Science and Technology Department. Experts from institutions such as the Indian Space Research Organisation, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research and Indian Institute of Astrophysics are expected to participate in the event.

According to officials, the festival aims to popularise astronomy and space science among students, teachers and the general public through interactive learning and direct engagement with scientists.

Director of the Guwahati Planetarium, Rituparna Thakuria, said the initiative has been designed to foster scientific curiosity and encourage young learners to explore the field of astronomy.

She said the event would provide students and teachers from across the Northeast an opportunity to interact with eminent scientists and gain practical exposure through workshops and sky observation sessions.

The six-day programme will feature hands-on training workshops for teachers and students, popular science lectures, interactive discussions and telescopic sky observation sessions. Organisers said the activities are intended to make astronomy more accessible and engaging for participants of all age groups.

Visitors attending the festival will also receive free access to planetarium shows and the Astronomy Gallery throughout the event.

Officials said the Astronomy Festival seeks to inspire greater interest in scientific learning and emerging developments in space science, particularly among children and young students in the region.

The collaborating body, the Astronomical Society of India, is among the country’s leading professional organisations representing astronomers and astrophysicists.