Ladakh will soon have South East Asia’s first Night Sky Sanctuary, Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh said on Sunday.
The Minister informed that the Sanctuary is being set up with the help of Indian Institute of Astrophysics Bengaluru, which is affiliated to the Department of Science & Technology, Govt of India.
According to a PIB release, Singh profusely appreciated the Lt Governor of Ladakh, Brig (Retd) B.D. Mishra for his active cooperation in the project.
On behalf of the Ministry of Science & Technology and CSIR, we will request Prime Minister Narendra Modi to inaugurate the Night Sky Reserve at Hanle, the Minister said.
The Union Minister was addressing the gathering after inaugurating the exhibition ‘Ladakh’s Pride’ to mark the fourth anniversary of the establishment of the Union Territory of Ladakh.
South East Asia’s First Night Sky Sanctuary
The Dark Sky Reserve will be located at Hanle village in Eastern Ladakh as a part of Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary. It will boost Astro-tourism in India and will be one of the world’s highest-located sites for optical, infrared and gamma-ray telescopes.
Spread over 1,073 square kilometres, the Night Sky Reserve is located within the Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary and adjacent to the Indian Astronomical Observatory, the second-highest optical telescope in the world, of the Indian Institute of Astrophysics at Hanle at an elevation of 4500 metres.
“At a time when the country is celebrating the success of the Chandrayaan-3 and Aditya-L1 solar mission, this Dark Sky Reserve will fascinate the stargazers, being among only the 15 or 16 of its kind in the world,” Dr Jitendra Singh said.
The Union Minister said that a tripartite MoU was signed among the UT Administration, Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Leh and the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) for launching the Dark Space Reserve. He said the site will have activities to help boost local tourism and economy through interventions of Science and Technology.
What Is A Night Sky Sanctuary?
A Night Sky Sanctuary is a special place where efforts are made to keep the night sky really dark and free from too much artificial light. This helps people see stars, planets, and other celestial objects more clearly.
It is like a peaceful area where you can look up at the night sky and enjoy the beauty of the stars without too much interference from city lights. This makes it a great spot for people who love stargazing and want to experience the magic of the night sky.
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