IIA contemplating promoting ‘astro-tourism'

NT Correspondent

Bengaluru: The Bengaluru-headquartered Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) is contemplating promoting ‘Astro Tourism' by making ‘Star Party' an annual event at Hanle Dark Sky Reserve (HDSR) in Eastern Ladakh.

The idea struck after it organised the first official 'Star Party' for experienced amateur astronomers at the HDSR between October 12 and 15.

Hanle is home to IIA's Indian Astronomical Observatory and hosts many professional telescopes due to its dark skies and dry weather.

About 30 amateur astronomers travelled to Hanle with their telescopes and cameras to experience the beauty of the skies unaffected by light pollution and to photograph faint celestial objects that cannot be done from other locations, Niruj Mohan Ramanujam, head of the outreach section (SCOPE Section) at IIA, said in a statement.

He said Hanle has one of the darkest skies in India and recently, an area of radius roughly 22 km around Hanle has been notified by the Union Territory of Ladakh as the Hanle Dark Sky Reserve (HDSR).

"HDSR aims to control man-made light pollution in the area in order to preserve the pristine dark skies for astronomical research," Dorje Angchuk, engineer-in-charge of the Observatory was quoted as saying.

"The Reserve is promoted as a tourist destination for enjoying the night sky, and this brings socio-economic development to the local villages," he added.

"Hanle is a haven for amateur astronomers. We plan to make the HDSR Star Party an annual event, and we are sure it will be one of the most sought after events for astronomy enthusiasts in India and abroad," said Dorje Angchuk.

UT Ladakh supported the Star Party with funding for travel from Leh to Hanle, and was a coorganiser.

"Many Astronomy Ambassadors had attended the Star Party and it was a wonderful opportunity for us to learn from the leading amateur astronomers of the country and become even better trained guides to the night sky," said Kesang Dorjey, from the village of Khaldo in Hanle. According to Ramanujam, HDSR is not just about astronomers.

"HDSR is promoted as a site for astro-tourism. With funding from UT Ladakh, we have purchased 24 small telescopes and given it to selected villagers inside the reserve and have also trained them to be our Astronomy Ambassadors," he said.

These Ambassadors are the ones who show the night sky to visitors and act as the interlocutors of the sky.

"Such a sciencebased opportunity to earn from tourism as well as through the increasing number of home-stays that cater to astro-tourists, is what makes HDSR an unique project”, he added.