🔭 IIA involved in making ‘Dark Sky Reserve’

Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) in Bengaluru will help set up India’s first ‘Dark Sky Reserve’ in Ladakh.

Story so far: The reserve is set to be completed in three months according to a tripartite MoU signed between the Ladakh administration, Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council (LAHDC) and IIA.

• The sanctuary will pose as one of the highest-located sites in the world for optical, gamma ray and infrared telescopes.
• Preservation of the night sky is the need of the hour for scientific observations, and these are being disrupted by unwanted pollution.

Additional developments: The project will also lead to the first-ever ‘Night Sky Sanctuary’ that will be built in Hanle, Ladakh. The Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary is also being developed under this project.