Sri Lanka & Astronomy

The Ceylon Astronomical Association which was founded in June 1959, (later known as Sri Lanka Astronomical Association) and now revived as the Astronomical Association of Lanka (AALK) is a not-for-profit association founded by Sir Arthur C. Clarke and late Herschel Gunawardene.

It is for the purpose of pursuing the study of astronomy and promoting the education of astronomy and related sciences. The revived Association’s goals would include usage of internet to carry research on astronomy and related sciences among university students and others.

Modern Astronomical research in Sri Lanka started in late 19th with planetary observations carried out by P. B. Molesworth F.R.A.S. Who discovered the South Tropical Zone disturbance of Planet Jupiter using his 13 inch Newtonian reflector mounted at Fort Fredrick, Trincomalee. Molesworth's publications appear in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society and he has also been recognized by a crater named after him on Planet Mars.

The total Solar Eclipse across Sri Lanka on June 20th, 1955, had created a great interest in Astronomy. The Russians had launched "Sputnik" on October 4th, 1957, dawning the Space Age. Arthur C. Clarke and Mike Wilson had just finished exploring the "Great Barrier Reef" in Australia and settled down in Ceylon. As we mentioned above Ceylon Astronomical Association was founded on June 11th, 1959, with Arthur C. Clarke as the first President and Late Herschel Gunawardene as the Hony. Secretary. Membership of the Association was open to any member of the public interested in Astronomy. Members met mainly in their own private homes. Meeting were also held at the U.S.I.S. was followed by screening of the latest film on US space exploration to motivate an interest in Space and Astronomy. The Association also published a quarterly journal named the EQUATORIAL from 1959, that carried contributions from astronomers from Sri Lanka & abroad.

The 1964, Industrial Exhibition saw the opening of the Colombo Planetarium to popularize Astronomy among visiting School children. A Ten inch telescope was obtained by Herschel Gunawardene. In 1996 the Japanese Government gifted an 18-inch Telescope which is now located at the Arthur Clarke Center for Modern Technology in Moratuwa. A number of new Astronomical groups formed and were active for some years. The group at Subodhi under the guidance of Fr Mervyn Fernando continues to help popularize astronomy and a number of Schools now have Astronomical Societies. However all is not well. There is no research group in Sri Lanka capable of publication in an internationally recognized refereed Astronomical Journal.

Today in Sri Lanka, general pubic as well as school students are interested in Astronomy and one may found a lot of schools with active astronomy clubs. These Associations and clubs working with all other astronomy related institutions in Sri Lanka and also hoping to get university students to do various researches and assist them.