Hanle Dark Sky Reserve

Hanle Dark Sky Reserve Latest News

Recently, a rare blood-red auroral activity was captured by the all-sky camera at the Indian Astronomical Observatory in Ladakh’s Hanle Dark Sky Reserve.

About  Hanle Dark Sky Reserve

• Location: It is located at 4,500 metres altitude, in the remote Changthang region of Ladakh.
• It is part of the Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary, offering Bortle-1 dark skies (the darkest category).
• It was notified in December 2022 by the Government of Ladakh.
• It is India’s first International Dark Sky Reserve, centred around the Indian Astronomical Observatory (IAO) at Hanle.
• It is managed by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) under the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Ministry of Science & Technology
• The reserve aims to curb light pollution and promote astro-tourism benefiting local communities.
• The reserve is a science-driven socio-economic development project, built on two pillars:
  • Curtailing light pollution in the region
  • Promoting astro-tourism for local livelihood generation
• The UT Ladakh administration supports the project by funding astro-tourism initiatives and light management plans.
• Significance of Hanle: Hanle’s pristine dark skies and transparent atmosphere allow observing and photographing faint celestial objects that are often impossible from other locations in India.

Source: ET

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