[Pontianak, 21/9/23] — In an effort to increase public understanding of amazing natural phenomena, lecturers in the Physics and Geophysics study programs, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences (FMIPA) Tanjungpura University (UNTAN) together with the Youth, Sports and Tourism Department (DISPORAPAR) Pontianak city opened a science corner 'EDUCATION OF CULMINATION PHENOMENON' in the Equator monument area. This education is also a form of Community Service (PkM) from lecturers in the Physics Department, FMIPA UNTAN which is routinely held every year.
"This annual activity which is held twice a year is not just a celebration, the culmination of the sun is a natural phenomenon that is very interesting and important to understand through the lens of science. The hope is that by working together with FMIPA UNTAN, the community and also Pontianak city students will come to Tugu "Equator has gained a lot of understanding about this phenomenon," said Rizal, S.Sos., Head of Pontianak City DISPORAPAR.

In the same place, Asifa Asri, head of the PkM Culmination Department of Physics, said, "We (Physics lecturers and Geophysics lecturers) are very enthusiastic about sharing this knowledge with the community and also younger students and helping them to connect natural phenomena with the principles of science. We believe that through a better understanding of science, we can open new windows in the exploration of the natural phenomena we experience every day.”

Apart from providing culmination education using interactive videos, a simulation of the position of the sun and earth using Stellarium Web Online was shown to explain the occurrence of the solar culmination phenomenon. The explanation of this simulation was explained by Dr. Joko Sampurno, M.Si, one of the geophysics lecturers at FMIPA UNTAN. UNTAN FMIPA Physics study program students also presented the results of their project based learning in the form of a solar tracker tool which had been created in the microcontroller application course to determine the position of the sun in real time. This student's explanation was greeted enthusiastically by the younger students who came to the science corner.

Meanwhile, in the courtyard of the Equator monument, the Physics department also prepared telescopes for visitors who wanted to observe the position of the sun at the time of culmination. Zulfian, M.Si and Hasanuddin, Ph.D, who are astronomy experts in the Physics Department, FMIPA UNTAN, said that visitors were very enthusiastic about seeing the sun directly using a telescope.

Dr. Bintoro S. Nugroho, M.Si., head of the physics department, added that one form of collaboration between the physics department, FMIPA UNTAN and DISPORAPAR was preparing an information poster about the culmination from a scientific perspective which was placed in one of the areas inside the Equator monument.

Apart from the science corner at the Equator Monument on September 21 2023, FMIPA UNTAN also opened a stand in the Kapuas square park from the 21st to 2023. 26 September 2023 in order to enliven the Pontianak city MSME celebration which is a series of activities to charm the 2023 solar culmination. Various student products from the Merdeka Belajar Kampus Merdeka (MBKM) and also entrepreneurship were displayed at the stand. [PPID Team – FMIPA UNTAN]