Ladakh12 minutes ago
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India’s first Night Sky Sanctuary is about to be built in Hanle village of Ladakh. It will be part of Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary. The project has been spearheaded by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) of the Central Government. It is an initiative to increase astro-tourism in the country. Also, this sanctuary will be one of the highest places in the world for optical, infrared and gamma-ray telescopes.
First know, what is Night Sky Sanctuary?
Night Sky Sanctuary is such a protected area, where there is a lot of scope for research in the field of astronomy in the sky full of stars. It is believed that the sky is clear at night in Hanle and Merak in Ladakh. This is the reason why it has emerged as the most favorite place for those interested in astronomy. Hanle is on the Ladakh-Tibet route. There has also been a Hanle Monastery in the 17th century.
The Night Sky Sanctuary in Hanley will be one of the highest in the world for optical, infrared and gamma-ray telescopes.
Union Minister of State Jitendra Singh announced
Union Minister of State Jitendra Singh says that MoU has been signed for the project. This agreement has been signed between the Ladakh Union Territory Administration, the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) Leh and the Indian Institute of Astrophysics.
All the stakeholders will work together towards protecting the night sky from light pollution and illumination. The reason for this – such light poses a threat to the natural condition of the sky and scientific observations. Singh added, “Hanley is the best place for this project. It is located in the cold desert region of Ladakh. It is away from human disturbance and has dry weather condition throughout the year.
Other projects are also being planned
Ladakh’s Lieutenant Governor RK Mathur has discussed with Dr. Jitendra Singh the Ladakh Leather Center besides the projects and education fair being run in collaboration with Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). Jitendra Singh told the Lt Governor that from next year DST will set up a big camp for the Ladakh Education Fair.
Also, a high level delegation of scientists and officials from the Chennai-based Central Leather Research Institute will visit Ladakh by the end of the year to explore the possibility of opening a branch in the region.