Why in news?

Recently, A group of amateur astronomers were invited by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics to the Hanle Dark Sky Reserve.

What is Dark Reserve?

• A Dark Sky Reserve is a designation given to a place that has policies in place to ensure that a tract of land or region has minimal artificial light interference.
• The International Dark Sky Association is a U.S.-based non-profit that designates places as International Dark Sky Places, Parks, Sanctuaries and Reserves, depending on the criteria they meet.

About the Night Sky Sanctuary:

• The proposed Dark Sky Reserve will be located at Hanle in Ladakh as a part of Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary.
• The night sky sanctuary will be set up as part of the Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary, the world’s second-largest nature reserve.
• The new project will be one of the world’s highest-located sites for optical, infrared, and gamma-ray telescopes.
• It will boost Astro tourism in India and will be one of the world’s highest-located sites for optical, infrared, and gamma-ray telescopes.
• Ladakh has a very rich and wide variety of animals for leather research and industry and to promote the bio-economy of animal skin-derived products.
• He also complimented CSIR for organising 4 training workshops, two each at Leh and Kargil for the treatment of diseases of famous Pashmina Goats.

Significance:

• The site will have activities to help in boosting local tourism and economy through interventions of Science and Technology.
• It will boost Astro tourism in India and will be one of the world’s highest-located sites for optical, infra-red, and gamma-ray telescopes.

 

Source: https://www.thehindu.com/sci-tech/science/hanle-dark-sky-party-amateur-astronomers/article67449055.ece