The World’s Highest Telescope is in India

Indian Astronomical Observatory at Hanle, Ladakh (Credit IIAP)

The Indian Astronomical Observatory, which was commissioned on 29^th August, 2001, is situated at an altitude of 4500 m above sea level  in Hanle, Ladakh which makes it the world’s highest optical-infrared telescope. Thus, it enjoys one of the best light pollution free and cloudless skies. The data collected through the 2 meter telescope also called Himalayan Chandra Telescope is sent through dedicated satellite link to a remote control center at CREST, Hosakote (near Banaglore) for deeper analysis. It recently featured in ‘Around the world in 80 telescopes’ program of European Southern Observatory (ESO) for International Year of Astronomy, 2009.

Earth Day

The Blue Marble (Credit NASA)

Our Earth is unique in our solar system as it is in the habitable zone of sun. Till Kepler Mission discovers another such planet, Earth continues to enjoy its unique position in our perceavable universe. The Earth Day, celebrated each year on 22nd April, is time to cherish this uniqueness and take a resolve to preserve it . The above image which is called the “blue marble” image is the most detailed true-color image of the entire Earth to date. Using a collection of satellite-based observations, scientists and visualizers stitched together months of observations of the land surface, oceans, sea ice, and clouds into a seamless, true-color mosaic of every square kilometer of our planet (Source www.visibleearth.nasa.gov).

Simulated Mars Mission

Mars500 crew prepares to enter the isolation facility on 31 March 2009

A crew of six, including two European and four Russians, embarked on a simulated mission to Mars called Mars500 on 31^st March, 2009. It is expected to provide the knowledge of how to keep a small crew psychologically and physiologically healthy, and ultimately, to succeed in the big challenge to bring humankind to Mars and safely back to Earth. The 105-day study precedes a full simulation of a mission to Mars, due to start late in 2009. This will see another six-member crew sealed in the same chamber to experience a complete 520-day Mars mission simulation. Follow the crew throughout their simulated mission, including regular diary updates from the European participants, on the ESA website: http://www.esa.int/SPECIALS/Mars500/. 

How Kepler Mission discovers Earth like planets?

Kepler photometer's field of view in the Cygnus and Lyra constellations.

When a planet crosses in front of its star as viewed by an observer, the event is call a transit. Transits by terrestrial planets produce a small change in a star's brightness of about 1/10,000 (100 parts per million, ppm), lasting for 2 to 16 hours. This change must be absolutely periodic if it is caused by a planet. In addition, all transits produced by the same planet must be of the same change in brightness and last the same amount of time, thus providing a highly repeatable signal and robust detection method. Once detected, the planet's orbital size can be calculated from the period (how long it takes the planet to orbit once around the star) and the mass of the star using Kepler's Third Law of planetary motion. The size of the planet is found from the depth of the transit (how much the brightness of the star drops) and the size of the star. From the orbital size and the temperature of the star, the planet's characteristic temperature can be calculated. From this the question of whether or not the planet is habitable (not necessarily inhabited) can be answered. For more information please click on elementary or advanced.

Around the world in 80 Telescopes

European Southern Observatory (ESO) takes the public on an astronomical journey "Around the World in 80 Telescopes."  A live 24-hour free public video webcast, "Around the World in 80 Telescopes", will take place from 3 April 09:00 UT/GMT to 4 April 09:00 UT/GMT, chasing day and night around the globe to let viewers "visit" some of the most advanced astronomical telescopes on and off the planet. The webcast, organised by ESO for the International Year of Astronomy 2009 (IYA2009), is the first time that so many large observatories have been linked together for a public event.