A New Observatory set up by an autonomous institute of the Department of Science and Technology, N Bose Centre for Basic Sciences (SNBCBS) will significantly help in scientific observations.
This marks a monumental step in the advancement of scientific research and innovation in the region, opening doors for incredible discoveries and progress in the world of astronomy.
It is India’s sixth and eastern India’s first astronomical observatory inaugurated at Garpanchkot Hills in Purulia.
What will be the role of the New Observatory?
Atop the Panchet Hill in the Garpanchakot area of Purulia district in West Bengal; this observatory will help in observation of astronomical objects, training students in handling telescopes and recording data, generating national and international collaboration in astronomical research, and most importantly, to fill in the longitudinal gap.
The observatory at a height of 600 meters above ground level and at longitude of approximately 86° E, will be a major observatory not only in eastern India, but also in the world.
Along the 86 degrees East longitude stretching from the Arctic Ocean in the north to Antarctica in the south, there are very few observatories. This observatory will fill that gap.
This project work commenced in 2012 on 4.9 acres of land. Two telescopes have been installed. The seeing value of this place is 1.3 arc seconds, which is at par with the other five centres in the country. The best time for observation will be from November to April, when the sky will be clear.
An automatic weather forecast centre has also been opened above the hilltop, which will be helpful for measuring rainfall, temperatures, and wind speed. Scientist Ramkrishna Das said that initially two places were considered: Susunia Hills in Bankura and Garpanchkot Hills in Purulia. The centre has been set up 600 metres above sea level as the centre needs to be established in a non-polluted area.
One more long-range telescope will be installed shortly. The varsity students will be able to conduct research in astrophysics from this centre. The other centres are in Ladakh, Nainital, Mount Abu, Girbani Hills in Pune, and Kavalur in Tamil Nadu.
“At an elevation of 600 metres above ground level, nestled away from city lights and surrounded by the serene beauty of nature, the S.N. Bose National Centre for Basic Sciences (SNBNCBS) has proudly unveiled its firstever astronomical observatory – a cutting-edge facility for groundbreaking research in astronomy and astrophysics in Eastern India.
The observatory is equipped with a 14-inch diameter telescope, with plans underway to install a 1-metre diameter telescope soon.
Renowned astrophysicist and Vice Chancellor of Ashoka University opines that in order to observe transient astronomical phenomena lasting a few minutes to a few hours, it is important to have good observatories on all the longitudes of the globe. Therefore, the Panchet observatory is strategically positioned.
Additionally, a research scholar from Sidhu Kanu Birsa University tracks the night sky daily, collecting valuable data on atmospheric turbulence. The S.N. Bose Centre has also signed an MoU with SKB University for the observatory’s operation and resource sharing.
This state-of-the-art observatory is set to revolutionize scientific research in the region, offering an unparalleled platform for cuttingedge studies in space sciences.
At the virtual inauguration at the SKB University, Dr. Tanusri Saha-Dasgupta, Director of S.N. Bose Centre, said that this was a moment of pride for the Centre and she was hopeful that the Centre will be able to make significant contribution to the body of knowledge in observational astronomy.
Shri Viswajit Sahay, Financial Adviser of Department of Science and Technology, who graced the inaugural ceremony, said that an observatory always creates its own ecosystem in its vicinity and the Panchet observatory too holds this promise.
Dr Pabitra Kumar Chakrabarty, Vice Chancellor of SKB University said that an observatory of this standard in Purulia, which is considered as a backward district of West Bengal, could be a great source of encouragement to the students of the University.
The work which involved conceptualization, layout and initiation of the observatory by Dr. Ramkrishna Das, Dr. Soumen Mandal and Dr. Tapas Baug, all three from the Department of Astrophysics of SNBNCBS, started after the formal acquisition of land in 2018. Their work included site characterization, determining astronomical ‘seeing’ and weather parameters and installation of a 14-inch telescope for scientific observations.
Dr. B.N. Jagtap, Chairman of the Governing Body of the SNBCBS, Shri Vivek Pankaj, SDO of Raghunathpur and scientists from SNBCBS participated in the virtual as well as on site inauguration of the observatory.
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