Equatorial Climate

• Dominated by Maritime Tropical air masses.
• Temperature is uniform throughout the year. There is no winter. [Typical to Equatorial Rainforest Climate]
• Cloudiness and heavy precipitation moderate the daily temperature.
• Regular land and sea breezes assist in maintaining a truly equable climate.
• The diurnal range of temperature is small, and so is the annual range.
• There is no month without rain (distinct dry season is absent).
• There are two periods of maximum rainfall, April and October. [shortly after the equinox]. Least rain fall occurs in June and December [solstice].
• There is much evaporation and convectional air currents are set up, followed by heavy thunderstorms in the afternoons.

Savanna Climate

• It is confined within the tropics and is best developed in Sudan, hence its name the Sudan Climate.
• It is a transitional type of climate found between the equatorial rainforests and hot deserts.

• Mean annual rainfall ranges from 80 – 160 cm [Rainfall decreases with distance from equator].
• In the northern hemisphere, the rainy season begins in May and lasts till September.
• In the southern hemisphere, the rainy season is from October to March.
• Highest temperatures do not coincide with the period of the highest sun.
• Days are hot and nights are cold. This extreme diurnal range of temperature is another characteristic feature of the Sudan type of climate.

European Southern Observatory releases new image of Orion’s Flame Nebula.

Constellations

• Constellations are formed of bright stars which appear close to each other on the sky, but are really far apart in space.
• Many societies saw patterns among the stars with gods and goddesses or stories from their culture.
• Because of the rotation of the Earth and its orbit around the Sun, we divide the constellations into two groups.
• Some constellations never rise nor set, and they are called circumpolar.
• All the rest are divided into seasonal constellations.
• Constellations in the northern circumpolar sky include Auriga, Camelopardalis, Cassiopeia, Cepheus, Draco, Lynx, Perseus, Ursa Major, and Ursa Minor. These constellations are always visible in the night sky of the Northern Hemisphere.

• Constellations in the southern circumpolar sky include Grus, Phoenix, Indus, Tucana, Pavo, Ara, Eridanus, Hydrus, Horologium, Reticulum, Octans, Apus, Triangulum Australe, Lupus, Circinus, Musca, Crux, Centaurus, Carina, Vela, Puppis, Dorado, and Chamaeleon. These constellations are always visible in the night sky of the Southern Hemisphere.

UJALA Scheme

• Efficient light bulbs like Light-emitting Diode (LEDs) consumes only one-tenth of energy used by ordinary bulb to provide the same or better light output.
• However, high cost of LEDs has been a barrier in adoption of such efficient lighting systems.
• The DELP on-bill financing scheme proposes to overcome this cost barrier.
• The scheme is being named "UJALA" - an acronym for Unnat Jyoti by Affordable LEDs for All.

Objectives

• The main objective is to promote efficient lighting, enhance awareness on using efficient equipment which reduce electricity bills and help preserve environment.

Overall targets

• Overall target of number of LED lights to be replaced in 3 years - 770 million
• Expected annual energy savings - 105 bn KWh
• Expected reduction of peak load - 20,000 MW
• Annual estimated greenhouse gas emission reductions -  79 million tonnes of CO2

Implementation agencies

• The Electricity Distribution Company and Energy Efficiency Services Limited (EESL) a public sector body of Government of India are implementing the programme.

Aravali Mountain Range

• They run between Delhi and Palanpur in Gujarat for about 800kms.
• They are aligned in north-east to south-west direction.
• They are the one of the oldest fold mountains of the world and the oldest in India.
• They continue up to Hariddwar buried under the alluvium of Ganga Plains.
• It is believed that one branch of the Aravalis extends to the Lakshadweep Archipelago through the Gulf of Khambhat and the other into Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka.
• At the south-west extremity the range rises to over 1,000m.
• Here Mt.Abu is separated from the main range by the valley of the Banas.
• Guru Sikhar (1,772 m) is the highest peak in the aravali mountain range and is situated in Mt.Abu.
• Pipli Ghat, Dewair and Desuri passes allow movement by roads and railways.

Wildlife Sanctuaries

• Rampara Wildlife Sanctuary is situated in the state of Gujarat.
• Hirpora Wildlife Sanctuary is present in Jammu and Kashmir.
• The Path including source and destination: Gujarat – Rajasthan – Punjab – Jammu and Kashmir.