Date:07/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/07/stories/2008090757210400.htm

New Delhi

Lecture on astronomy today

Staff Reporter

NEW DELHI: Nehru Planetarium is organising a public lecture on “Astronomy from high altitudes” at its Teen Murti House premises here on Sunday 5p.m. onwards.

Professor Tushar Prabhu, in charge of Indian Astronomical Observatory Hanle, would give a lecture on astronomical observations from the highest altitude observatory for optical and infra red astronomy in the world.

Professor Prabhu would also speak on how the observatory on Mount Saraswati was built in the Himalayas by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bangalore.

“Astronomers look for a place free of clouds, atmospheric disturbances as well as light pollution induced by humans. It is precisely that in the Himalayas. There are rain shadow regions in Ladakh where the monsoon winds are stopped. The thin air at such elevations is good for astronomy, giving much better viewing conditions than at sea level,” said Planetarium Director N. Rathnasree.

Astronomers Raghu Kalra, Ajay Talwar, Vikrant Narang and Pankaj, who trekked to this observatory in 2007, would interact with people .

Ms. Rathnasree said the inhospitable nature of the region has made possible many exciting observations related to supernovae and optical after-glows of gamma ray bursts.