IIT Hyderabad arrange its first astronomical observatory with a big telescope- Expertise Information, Firstpost

tech2 Information EmployeesAug 19, 2021 10:29:36 IST

The Indian Institute of Expertise Hyderabad (IITH) launched a telescope on the seventy fifth Independence day of India. The 14-inch telescope is situated on the Kandi campus.

It was inaugurated by Padmashri and Padmabhushan, Dr B N Suresh, Chancellor and the Founding Director of the Indian Institute of House Science and Expertise, Thiruvananthapuram.

The telescope will assist each newbie sky gazers and can be primarily used for outreach and evening sky observational coaching packages. Nonetheless, it’s highly effective sufficient to assist astronomy researchers of their research-level observations as properly.

Picture of moon’s craters as captured by IITH’s new telescope. Picture credit score: IITH

Dr Mayukh Pahari, Assistant Professor, Division of Physics stated, “Not like different observatories designed for the outreach program, our facility will provide an opportunity to work with high-quality astronomical photos from deep-sky objects in addition to transient occasions so that college/ faculty college students could have alternatives to contribute to the astronomical analysis.”

It’s outfitted with an enormous mirror with an optical diameter of 355 mm with a focal size of 1650 mm. Such a big mirror together with a Crayford focuser and stylish truss tube design will help in astronomy.

IITH is likely one of the eight new IITs established by the Authorities of India in 2008. This telescope is believed to be the second-largest amongst IITs after IIT Kanpur.

It would allow commentary of the deep sky and faint objects which have been by no means doable to detect with a small telescope. From small craters on the lunar floor to the rings of Saturn and meteor showers, this telescope will use a complicated digital digicam to report these photos and different astronomical phenomena.

The challenge is funded by Prof B S Murty, the Director, IIT Hyderabad, and managed by Dr Mayukh Pahari, Division of Physics.

“The passion and the curiosity of younger college students about objects within the sky are limitless. With this massive telescope, we are going to present them a chance to check celestial objects in better element than different small telescopes conventionally used for outreach packages,” Mr Murthy informed The Hindu.

“Actions like stargazing coaching packages, observing astronomical transients, working with celestial photos will improve their information and add to their sense of human reference to area. We might additionally be certain that college students from faculties and numerous faculties in and round Hyderabad additionally get the benefit of this massive telescope via numerous packages organized by the Astronomy Membership of IITH,” he added.