National Large Solar Telescope:
In this year’s Union Budget, the government sanctioned the establishment of two new telescopes namely National Large Solar Telescope and National Large Optical-Near Infrared Telescope to study the sun and the origins of the universe.
- It will be established in the Merak region near the Pangong Tso Lake.
- It is meant to study the sun
- It will operate in the visible and near-infrared wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum.
- It will help to study the fundamental solar dynamics and magnetism, energetic solar events, and map various space-weather processes having a direct bearing on the Earth and national space assets, like satellites and space launches.
- It will serve as India’s third ground-based solar observatory.
- Currently, the Kodaikanal Solar Observatory (in Tamil Nadu, established 1899) and the Udaipur Solar Observatory (in Rajasthan, established 1975) are operational.
- National Large Optical-Near Infrared Telescope will be built in Hanle.
- In a segmented-mirror telescope, a larger primary mirror comprises highly complex, smaller hexagonal mirror segments.
- It will be one of the world’s largest telescopes operating in the electromagnetic spectrum’s optical-infrared wavelengths.
- Frontier research on exoplanets, stellar and galactic evolution, and supernovae will be possible, besides looking for clues to trace the origins of the universe.
