My success story at Karachi Astronomers Society
I have been a nature lover since childhood. I started gardening at an age of 10 years. I love mountains and rain. I loved stars and so I loved Moon. It was 2007 when the spark of Astronomy got to its peak and from there on wards a journey of Astronomy and leadership started. I founded Astronomy club at my university SZABIST and later co-founded Karachi Astronomers Society. Many people ask me how have we come so far, how it all started and how are we able to do so much with such a small team of volunteers. Here is the timeline from the very start that I have created for all of the people who ask me about my successful journey in founding Karachi Astronomers Society and bringing it up to the level it is now. I am glad I led the team and have made lots of achievements on the way. Enjoy the timeline and share with your friends.
Timeline
Discovered Astronomers 2007
Discovered and met like-minded people and started having regular meetings with Astronomers from Karachi in 2008
Met Amateur Astronomers at a Partial Solar Eclipse 1-Aug-2008
Met Amateur Astronomers at a Partial Solar Eclipse 1-Aug-2008 at PIA Planetarium, Karachi. That’s me with Goggles like glasses. Those are Solar glasses for viewing Sun in visible light. Yes I observed Eclipse with these glasses while a fellow enthusiast kept asking me not to use it as I can destroy my eyes. What were the glasses for then? 😀
Founded Astronomy club at SZABIST Oct 2008
Founded Astronomy club at SZABIST in October 2008 and launched the club on Nov 2008 with a historical Astronomy event at the roof of SZABIST 100c. Details here: http://www.abubakershekhani.com/blogs/astronomy/first-university-level-astronomy-club-of-pakistan
Established “Karachi Astronomers Society” – 2009
In late 2009, founders formally named “Karachi Astronomers Society” to our informal gathering of Astronomers from Karachi. The founders includes Mr. Khalid Marwat, Akbar Hussain, Muhammad Mehdi Hussain, Abubaker Shekhani (me), Abbas Jafri, Imran Rasheed, Zain Ahmed and Naveed Merchant. I assisted Mr. Khalid Marwat (Chairman) in creating the first-ever constitution of our society KAS. In May 2010, after graduating from SZABIST, I transferred...
My First dark sky Rutjuga May 2010
My First dark sky Rutjuga was on 15th May 2010 at Hingol National Park, Balochistan. It was KAS’s 4th overall Rutjuga and 2nd Rutjuga in Balochistan. Only team members used to travel to such places in the first 6 to 7 trips.
Developed and launched KAS first website – June 2010
Developed (Gifted KAS my own developed website to KAS) and launched first ever website in June 2010 with Gallery, Forums, Blogs, user registration/membership and static pages.
I got selected as Facebook page Admin 2010
Became part of Facebook page in 2010 along with two other co-founders. I was a Computer Science student at that time and had no idea of managing Facebook page but gradually I learned.
Designed banners for all KAS events from 2011 till 2016
Designed banners for almost all KAS events from 2011 till 2016.
Selected as Treasurer in 2011 by KAS Founders
Along with my Web and Digital media Manager role, I was given another role of Treasurer in 2011.
Initiated paid membership of KAS ( to generate funds) in 2011
Initiated paid membership of KAS ( to generate funds) in 2011.
Organized and Conducted first ever school Astronomy session with Moon observation – April 2011
Organized and conducted first-ever school Astronomy session with Moon observation in April 2011
Designed new Logo for KAS in 2011
Designed new Logo for KAS in 2011.
Designed KAS T-shirts and sold 12 T-shirts at World Space Weak Oct 2011 (to generate funds)
Designed and got 20 KAS T-shirts printed and within 1 day of printing sold 12 T-shirts at World Space Weak Oct 2011 (to generate funds). Some team members from KAS Team and other young volunteers were kind enough to assist me in selling T-shirts and taking paid memberships.
Volunteered as the event manager for KAS events from 2012 till 2017
Volunteered as the event manager for KAS events from 2012 till 2017.
Initiated and organized public events at Zam Zama Park from 2012 as Event Manager and GS
Initiated and organized public events at Zam Zama Park from 2012 as Event Manager and GS. Went through the cumbersome procedure of getting permission at the park and successfully managed to hold first-ever public Outreach at Zam Zama Park. Around 100+ people attended during 1.5 hours.
As General Secretary conducted regular team meetings (General Body) from 2013 to Feb 2017
As General Secretary conducted regular team meetings (General Body) from 2012 to 2016.
Elected as General Secretary of KAS in 2013
Elected as General Secretary of KAS in 2013.
Initiated the idea of Membership Kits 2013
Initiated the idea of KAS Membership Kits in 2013. Also brought discipline paid memberships and related matters.
Organized first-ever InOMN in KAS history or even history of Pakistan
Organized first-ever InOMN in KAS history or even history of Pakistan. Later arranged InOMN in 2014, 2015, 2016. Details can be found here: http://kaasts.com/Kaas/blogs/rutjugas-meetings-outreach/141-international-observe-the-moon-night.html
Captured first ever Astrophotograph of Orion Nebula (DSO) from Karachi in 2013
Captured first ever Astrophotograph of Orion Nebula (DSO) from Karachi (The first one to capture a DSO among all the Astronomers of Karachi) in 2013. No one from Karachi at that time captured Orion Nebula with telescope or camera lens. The shot was also shot from Karachi at Kastrodome. Special thanks to Muhammad Mehdi Hussain (President KAS 2012 – Feb 2017) to helped me...
Assisted in successful preliminary launch of Kastrodome in 2013
Helped in successful preliminary launch of Kastrodome in 2013.
Achievement – Captured first ever Astrophotograph of Flame Nebula (DSO) from Karachi in Jan 2014
Achievement – I captured first ever Astrophotograph of Flame Nebula (DSO) from Karachi in Jan 2014.
Achievement – Captured first ever Photograph of Rosette Nebula (DSO) in Jan 2014
Achievement – Captured first ever Photograph of Rosette Nebula (DSO) in Jan 2014. Perhaps the first ever Astrophotograph of Rosette Nebula from Pakistan.
Regular public Rutjugas from 2014 onwards
Started regular public Rutjugas from 2014 onwards. Before that the Rutjugas were not that much regular. This was done to enjoy our Astronomy season to fullest and get as much of the dark sky as possible in a year.
Achievement – Pakistan’s first Astrophotograph of complete Orion Nebula (DSO) Jan 2014
Achievement – I captured Pakistan’s first Astrophotograph of complete Orion Nebula (DSO) along with Running man Nebula from Karachi in Jan 2014.
Secured KarachiAstronomy.com domain name
Secured KarachiAstronomy.com domain name
Initiated Kasmos in Feb 2015
I initiated and curated Kasmos in Feb 2015.
I Designed and conceived KAS Visiting Card in 2015
Designed and conceived the idea of our unique KAS Visiting Cards in 2015.
Designed KAS glowing Car Stickers
Designed KAS glowing Car Stickers
Managed Rutjuga alone 60 participants in Nov 2015 Rutjuga
Managed Rutjuga (dark sky trip to Balochistan) alone having 60 participants (in Nov 2015). A great achievement. No team member from KAS was available for that Rutjuga. A good friend and a volunteer Saad Sheikh assisted me during that Rutjuga.
First ever dark sky trip for a university – Institute of Business Administration in Dec 2015
First ever dark sky trip for a university – Institute of Business Administration in Dec 2015
Record breaking 110 participants in a public Rutjuga (Astronomy trip) in Dec 2015
Record breaking 110 participants in a public Rutjuga (Astronomy trip) in Dec 2015 in the history of KAS. First-ever such trip with 110 participants. I was the event manager, planner and organizer of that event.
As GS, organized 3 private Rutjugas for the team in 2016
As GS, organized 3 private Rutjugas for the team in 2016 for motivation, team building, leadership and most importantly dedicated expert level Astronomy and photography.
I developed Website for Solar Astronomy Project in May 2016
I developed Website for Solar Astronomy Project in May 2016. Sajjad Ahmed and Mehdi Hussain as the major contributors for the content.
I developed Website for Rutjuga in May 2016
I developed Website for Rutjuga in May 2016
Achievement – 2 public Rutjuga in 1 Month Oct 2016
Achievement – 2 public Rutjuga in 1 Month Oct 2016 with each one having 50+ participants both in Balochistan.
KAS facebook group – from 100 members to 4500 from 2014 – 2016
KAS facebook group – from 100 members to 4500 from 2014 – 2016
Achievement – Facebook page Followers from 1K to 12K in 3 years (Organic with few posts)
Achievement – Facebook page Followers from 1K to 12K in 3 years (Organic with few posts)
Achievement: Arranged and organized 24 events in 2016
Remarkable Achievement: Arranged and organized 24 events in 2016 including Rutjuga and Urban Astronomy sessions/workshops/outreach.
Achievement – First time in KAS history 160 participants in a public Rutjuga on Dec 31st 2016
Achievement – First time in KAS history 160 participants in a public Rutjuga on Dec 31st 2016 New Year’s Eve Astronomy Night.
Completed GS tenure of 4 years with 60 events
Completed GS tenure of 4 years (instead of 2 years) with 60+ events. Now I am a co-founder and a team member.
