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Astro tourism witnesses a rise in India as stargazers seek to experience starry nights

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Astroport Sariska is India’s first Experiential Tourist destination to merge Mesmerizing Astronomical activities and Organic farming with Hospitality. Surrounded by the Aravallis in the rustic land of Tehla, Sariska Tiger Reserve. We witness one of the darkest skies in India (Ideal for Star Gazing)

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Astro Tourism

Astroport Sariska(Alwar) is India’s first Astronomy and space Experience destination to merge Mesmerizing Astronomical activities and organic farming with Hospitality.

It is built to provide not only the comfort and facilities of a conventional tourist destination but also lead to exploring and learning through well-researched and well-presented Astronomy programs.

Astroport Sariska is the First in India to offer an Astronomy theme-based Resort for a comfortable and luxurious stay under the shining stars in the rustic land of Sariska.

Jungle Tourism

Ideally located near Sariska Tiger Reserve and other famous historical Sites. Nature Walk, Jungle Safari & Bird Watching are famous activities in the area.

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Ideally located amidst Corvallis, Astroport Sariska is a perfect amalgamation of luxury and nature- on offer 04 categories of rooms – Luxury cottages with private pools – luxury cottages with pool views – Family cottages & Signature Cottages.

Agro Tourism

We provide several agro toursim experiences for our guests, such as farm tours, organic farming activities, dairy visits, & nature trail and other recreational stuff.

Sustainable Tourism

Astroport Sariska is an Eco Friendly resort

• 100% Solar powered
• No plastic Zone ( No packed water bottles or plastic is used)
• Amenities used are 100% organic
• No notepads in rooms
• Farm-to-Table concept Grow vegetables and fruits in premises only.
• Have poultry and Cow Diary for fresh dairy products.
• Have grown 5000+ plants on premises only to promote greener
• Have 2 Big Rain Water harvesting structures to store rainwater
• Have used Drip Irrigation for plants to save water wastage
• Have installed a Biogas plant for staff food preparation.

The Astroport Life is one of the transformational experiences; of parts of the planet that we know intimately and treasure. Experiences for the connoisseur, the adventurous, and those looking for the extraordinary. Experiences that enrich and rejuvenate your soul.

Proudly family-owned and managed, our purpose is to protect, conserve and restore our wilderness, and our culture, and be custodians of the areas where we are situated, at the same time providing our guests with the highest levels of service, comfort, and luxury.

Types of Activities

Stargazing, Telescope Making, Hydro-Air Rocketry, Astro-photography, Satellite Making, Deep sky Objects observation, Safe Solar Observation, Comet Observation, Year Around Celestial Festival, Celebration.

Jungle Safari, Wildlife / Bird Photography, Bird watching, Wildlife Conservation Awareness, Programmes

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NatureDiary » Blog » Travel Guides » Bucket List Destinations

The Best Places For Stargazing In India

If you love the title ‘astrophile’, why not plan and visit the best places to stargaze while enjoying your trip?

Stargazing happens to be an interesting pursuit for travellers. Amidst trekking and camping across popular trails in India , I have cultivated a weird habit: chasing night skies. Well, if you have an interest in astrophotography or love capturing star trails , you might already be hunting for the perfect places for stargazing in India.

It’s the same obsession that has made me travel to places and distant valleys just to capture a precious experience of starlit skies. Doesn’t it feel mesmerizing to gaze at the nightscape and watch the planets, galaxies, and the Milky Way ?

In this post, I am going to present you with a list of my favourite, as well as most popular stargazing places in India – some of them I went for an adventure, and the rest are a dream for me to come true. So, the next time you carry your astronomy binocular or portable telescope during your trek or camping trip, you won’t miss out on any of these places you chance upon.

1. Hanle, Ladakh

Ladakh already has several reasons to be on your travel bucket list. However, if you are looking for the best stargazing destinations in India, I would recommend Ladakh’s Hanle village that houses the Indian Astronomical Observatory of Ladakh.

Do you know that Hanle is the only dark sky reserve in India?

A dark sky reserve refers to an area where the authorities monitor pollution to ensure a clear view of the night sky. Hanle’s 1,073 square Km area have been reserved for the dark sky . The area remains under several restrictions, and the people residing in the periphery are not entitled to use any powerful light.

Hanle generally has dry and cold weather. This further facilitates activities like astrophotography, stargazing through your telescope, or capturing star trails and comets . So, astrophile like me cherish the pitch-black darkness to stare at the planets, the Milky way, or even catch a glimpse of shooting stars.

2. Pangong Lake Camping, Ladakh

It would be a sin for me to overlook Pangong Lake Camping in Ladakh, one of the best campsites to stargaze at high altitudes. I was left spellbound, gazing at the mystic landscapes and ornamented night sky with zero pollution . Well, if you feel the mad urge to flee from the crazy crowd and din of your city, choose this campsite in Ladakh for your stargazing experience.

Sitting quietly at an altitude of 4,225 meters, the sky above Pangong Lake is known for changing colours and astonishing views of the galaxies . As I peered into my telescope for seeing planets and galaxies , the starry sky presented me with a panorama of diamonds. Well, I believe every stargazer would find their ultimate paradise of bane at Pangong Lake when the sky remains clear.

Imagine putting on your layers as the temperature dips at night, and enjoy every moment with astrophotography. The planets look like constantly shining objects, and if you are lucky, I bet you can capture a comet or a star trail at this site. For stargazers who love to track planetary movements and lunar positions , this place offers a deep sky to explore!

3. Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh

During my mission to visit all the places to see the Milky Way, I stumbled upon the picturesque Spiti Valley in Himachal Pradesh, located at 15,000 feet altitude. The sky remains crystal clear, and the stars shine up with the pitch-black background of the night sky.

Spiti also happens to be the most high-altitude motorable village in India as well as the world. So, if you are not comfortable with strenuous treks, Spiti Valley would be the right destination for you for astrophotography.

I recommend some strategic spots in Spiti where you can capture an unhindered view of the nocturnal sky. These include Kibber, Komik, Dhankar, Losar, and Tabo . The clear sky, high altitude, and no pollution make the Spiti Valley one of the most popular stargazing places in India.

Interestingly, you can complete your stargazing mission at Spiti as a part of your trip to Shimla and Manali.

4. Nubra Valley, Ladakh

My quest for the best places to see Milky Way met its salvation at Nubra Valley in Ladakh. The glittering stars and Milky Way in its nightscape make it a heaven for astrophiles like me.

The valley remains cuddled by majestic Himalayas and the Karakorum range . If you are into trekking, you should know that reaching Turtuk village in this valley also requires you to cross some of the highest passes in India. Nested amidst high-current rivers, cold deserts, and pristine lakes, I was robbed of my senses as I peered into the night sky studded with stars.

Well, the Nubra Valley is also the gateway to the Siachen Glacier, so you would need a permit to visit this place. If you love bitterly cold places, visit Nubra Valley in winter to hear your bones rattle! I would recommend September to November for an amazing stargazing experience as you would be able to view the Milky Way clearer.

Make your way right up to Turtuk village, 166 Km away, where you can be fortunate enough to pamper your vision with the crystalline star trails and galaxies.

5. Rann of Kutch, Gujarat

Remember the Geminid Meteor Shower of 2016? Well, some of my friends were at the Rann of Kutch in Gujarat during that time, known to be a large expanse of salt marshes. An ideal destination for astrophotographers and astronomers , this place in Gujarat is still on my bucket list as one of India’s most satisfying stargazing places.

Even if you don’t carry your binoculars or telescope, naked-eye watching happens to be quite popular here. Astrophiles have reported catching a glimpse of 6-magnitude stars here with the naked eye . The clear and pollution-free sky above the Rann of Kutch makes it ideal for watching planets, galaxies, and lunar movements.

I would recommend you to visit this stargazing destination in Gujarat between November and February . Under the salty swaps, you have several fascinating things to look out for. How about capturing the ghost lights, which continue to allure photographers?

You can also visit the Rann of Kutch during the Rann Utsav, which is one of the popular festivals here. The night camps attract people from different countries across the world.

6. Sandakphu, West Bengal

My first encounter with a shooting star happened during my Sandakphu trek . This explains why my first trek continues to be so special to me. While staying at Dhotrey and Tonglu, I was lucky to capture the beautiful night sky .

My friend Ritban got busy with his camera, taking star trails and exploring the Milky way in awe. He took some of the spectacular views of the constellations dominating the nightscape at Gorkhey. Soumya, my co-author and founder of NatureDiary, also shot some amazing photos of the Sleeping Buddha surrounded by sparkling stars at Sandakphu like the above one.

Later, while descending on the other side of the mountain after completing our Sandakphu Trek, we hiked all the way into the Gorkhey Valley in the evening. Set amidst the thick pine forest, the quaint valley was perfect for astrophotography .

So, if you continue to chase stars and look out for the finest places for stargazing , I would recommend you the trek to Sandakphu and the down trek up to Srikhola via Gorkhey. During our trek, we were lucky to capture a glimpse of the mighty Everest peak, along with Kanchenjunga, Three Sisters, Lhotse, and several other peaks.

The Sandakphu Trek is an easy-to-moderate trek route, perfect for beginners. So, if you fancy watching starlit skies during your trek , you can start here. Apart from stars and the nightscape, you have some of the tallest mountain peaks visible from Sandakphu and Phalut.

7. Kheerganga, Himachal Pradesh

For trekkers and hikers who love stargazing, Kheerganga happens to be a moderately easy trek in Himachal Pradesh. So, if you are looking for a place to see stars without taking too much stress on your knees , I would recommend Kheerganga Trek to you.

If you are yet to buy your astronomy binocular or telescope for stargazing, get one before leaving for this beautiful trek. Among the places to stargaze that I have listed in this article, Kheerganga stands out with its beautiful sceneries and night sky surrounded by the Himalayas .

Reaching Kheerganga is relatively easy. Firstly, you need to take an AC Bus (Volvo) from Chandigarh or New Delhi to reach Kasol. This would be an overnight journey, with the nearest airport being Kullu Manali Airport.

From Kasol, you will find buses or cabs, and it would take you 40 minutes to reach Barshaini bus stand, 17 Km away, from where the trek starts. There are three trek routes at Kheerganga. In their recent trip, my colleagues Soumya and Koyeli took the Kalga village route and shot a magical glimpse of the Milky Way that you can see in the above picture.

8. Jaisalmer, Rajasthan

Have you considered hunting for a great place to stargaze amidst the expanses of a desert? Well, I would recommend you Jaisalmer, a beautiful destination in Rajasthan.

Over the decades, people interested in astrophotography and stargazing have enriched themselves with the magical galaxies in the desert. While Rajasthan is better known for the Thar Desert and its safaris, you also have cultural programs, heritage tours, and camping as popular activities in the city.

When you are out in the desert camping with your friends, you can cherish your vision with the nightscape glittering with planetary lights.

Plan your trip to Jaisalmer between October and March to capture the best views of the night sky. While twilights beyond the golden sand dunes would bring you the opportunity to capture the solar charm, the enthralling night sky awaits you just after dusk .

9. Kashmir Great Lakes, Jammu & Kashmir

The night sky can be spectacular, like bliss. It was during my Kashmir Great Lakes Trek that I feasted my eyes on the pitch-black sky with the shining stars at the campsites.

As I mentioned in our guide to Kashmir Great Lakes trek , we pitched our first camp at Shitkari in Sonmarg before taking the uphill trek to Nichnai, Vishnasar Lake, Gadsar Campsite, Satsar Lakes, and Gangabal Lake. All along this long mountainous trek route, the evenings presented us with spectacular views of the milky way .

If you are into astrophotography, you should get your telescope, astronomy binoculars, and camera out just after sundown. In Kashmir, we had daylight up to 8:15 in the evening. Just before taking our dinner and helping ourselves into the comfort of the sleeping bags, we spent an hour staring at the nightscape, hunting for comets or meteors !

As I take you through this list of top places for stargazing, I can clearly recall spending the chilly evenings in the quaint valleys. Well, the Kashmir Great Lakes Trek takes you through high altitudes above 13,000 feet. You need to cross three mountain passes as well. The clarity of the mountain air and the pollution-free environment makes it a great place to stargaze during your treks.

10. Sonmarg, Kashmir

My affinity with Kashmir started at Sonmarg, where we pitched our tents during my Kashmir Great Lakes Trek. Well, it wasn’t until that very evening that I came to know that Sonmarg is a popular place for stargazing among trekkers like us!

Sonmarg holds its importance in the books of history as well. It is the gateway to the high-altitude mountain passes of Nichnai, Gadsar, and Jaz. Besides, connects the city to the Silk Road, another high-altitude mountain pass connecting China and Kashmir.

The villages in Sonmarg are a haven for campers and adventurers. The night sky presents astrophotographers with millions of shimmering stars to capture. Whether you are crossing Sonmarg on your way to Leh or enjoying your summer trip to Kashmir, plan a night stay at Sonmarg.

Apart from its rolling meadows, pine forests, and snow-covered peaks, Sonmarg happens to be a great place for stargazing in India. So, don’t forget to take a long-distance binocular , astrophotography camera and telescope the next time you are at Sonmarg.

Although you have several other villages in Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh, which are better known for stargazing, Sonmarg will refine your sight with unforgettable sight skies.

11. Yumthung Valley, Sikkim

Well, previously, I used to recommend Yumthung Valley in Sikkim to travellers who love swaying their senses amidst the blissful views of the mountains. However, now I have a different reason to recommend this place in Sikkim altogether- the magical night sky .

While cultivating my interest in stargazing, I have spent silent evenings at Yumthung Valley with my astronomy binocular . You can even carry your telescope to Yumthung Valley, one of the best places to stargaze in Sikkim, as well as India.

Well, the place allures travellers with its colourful prayer flags and little huts along the mountain slopes. After the darkness creeps into the valley, the valley turns itself into a paradise for astrophotographers. Currently, Yumthung Valley is a great place to see the Milky Way, planets, galaxies, and comets in the deep sky .

Well, I have trekked several Himalayan trails all these years. This has brought me the fortune to interact with some of the most avid astrophotographers. Considering my interactions with them, I would recommend Yumthung Valley in Sikkim as one of the most favourable places to see stars in India.

12. Neil Island, Andaman

Neil island in the Bay of Bengal is a popular tourist attraction in the Andaman & Nicobar Islands and also one of the best places to see stars in India, as the nightscape remains clear almost all around the year . It is ideal for astrophotographers and sky-gazing enthusiasts looking into the deep sky at night.

At Neil Island, you can engage yourself in underwater amusements like scuba diving during the day, absorbing the tranquil vibes of the place. As the evening sets in, prepare yourself with your astronomy binocular, telescope and long-exposure camera to catch a glimpse of the Milky Way galaxy .

Feast your eyes on the splendid views of the starry night sky meeting the azure water somewhere on the horizon. The quaint environment on this island happens to be the ideal haven for space enthusiasts.

13. Yusmarg, Kashmir

If you consider yourself to be an opportunistic astrophotographer, consider spending a night at Yusmarg. This is a village located in Western Kashmir’s Badgam district. It takes 45 minutes to reach Yusmarg from Kashmir.

In the daytime, trekkers and hikers love cherishing the lush green meadows along with the rolling alpine forests . Interestingly, nature lovers would appreciate distinguishing every shade of green, including lime, apple, mint, and emerald, in the wooded forests.

While the snow-capped peaks of the mighty mountains determine the horizon, you can sit in the raw knolls full of sheep and horses and stare at the sky at night. Catch a glimpse of the picturesque cottages, resembling Europe’s alpine valleys . As the babbling stream makes its way, breaking the silence, watch the night sky teeming with stars and planets.

Professional astrophotographers have reported catching shooting stars while stroking across the magical sky. The sparkling spectacles become more pronounced as the night grows darker.

Astrophiles with a keen interest in solar and lunar positions at different times of the year often come to Yusmarg in Kashmir. If you are ready to explore one of the best locations to stargaze amidst the alpine meadows, add Yusmarg to your bucket list.

14. Coorg, Karnataka

Honeymooners! Watch out!

Amidst the captivating bliss of the coffee plantations, emerald hills, and absorbing wildlife in this hill station by the Western Ghats, you have a beautiful nightscape. How about spending quality time with your loved one on the balcony of a resort while both of you peer at the Milky Way Galaxy ?

Coorg is known for its romantic sceneries and hills. However, if you happen to be an astrophile like me, you should have other plans to visit Coorg as well! For a better experience, find accommodation in a homestay in the interiors.

If you are a honeymooner or nature lover, the night sky of Coorg will captivate you with its bliss. Amidst the mystifying cloudy landscape with hills, spice plantations, and teak forests, the night sky looks bewitching . No doubt, Coorg happens to be one of the most ideal places for stargazing in south India.

If you have been looking for the best stargazing places in India, I hope this list will be helpful to you. Whether it comes to capturing star trails or gazing hours into the Milky Way, I love to lull myself to sleep on silent, starlit valleys amidst the dreamy nightscapes during my treks.

Now that I have helped you with my list of stargazing places, you can try your hands at astrophotography. Read our stargazing guide , get some powerful camera lenses, an astronomy binocular, and a telescope and start off your mission as an astrophile.

For me, I started my journey as a travel enthusiast and have picked up travel-oriented hobbies like stargazing, hiking, trekking, and fishing. However, I would acknowledge that peering into the deep sky late into the night enthrals me as much as the trek routes spark my adrenaline!

We hope that you have enjoyed this article. Let us know your experience! If you like us to write on any specific topic, send your request to [email protected] . Your feedback is highly appreciated. We will love to hear from you!

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Ladakh to have India’s first ‘Dark Sky Reserve’ to promote astronomy tourism

Scientists and experts will identify locals and train them to use particular telescopes for the purpose of basic night sky gazing, identification of constellations, and locating the pole star, among others..

By the end of 2022, India will establish the country’s first Dark Sky Reserve in the cold desert regions of Ladakh, Dr Jitendra Singh, Minister of State (Independent charge) for Science and Technology, announced Saturday. This facility will also promote astronomy-tourism, he said.

What is a Dark Sky Reserve?

A Dark Sky Reserve is public or private land with a distinguished nocturnal environment and starry nights that has been developed responsibly to prevent light pollution.

According to the International Dark Sky Association (IDSA) website, these reserves “consist of a core area meeting minimum criteria for sky quality and natural darkness, and a peripheral area that supports dark sky preservation in the core.”

These reserves, it said, are formed through a “partnership of multiple land managers who have recognized the value of the natural nighttime environment through regulations and long-term planning”.

How does a site become a ‘Dark Sky Reserve’?

Individuals or groups can nominate a site for certification to the International Dark Sky Association (IDSA). There are five designated categories, namely International Dark Sky parks, communities, reserves, sanctuaries and Urban Night Sky Places.

The certification process is similar to that of a site being awarded the UNESCO World Heritage Site tag or getting recognised as a Biosphere Reserve. Between 2001 and January 2022, there have been 195 sites recognised as International Dark Sky Places globally, the IDSA said.

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The IDSA considers a piece of land suitable for dark sky place only if it is either publicly or privately owned; is accessible to the public partially or entirely during the year; the land is legally protected for scientific, natural, educational, cultural, heritage and/or public enjoyment purposes; the core area of the land provides an exceptional dark sky resource relative to the communities and cities that surround it and the land offers prescribed night sky brightness either for a reserve, park or sanctuary.

India is still in the process of filing its nomination to IDSA.

Who is developing India’s first Dark Sky Reserve?

The Ladakh Union Territory administration is leading the efforts in establishing the country’s first Dark Sky Reserve.

To be situated at a height of 4,500 metres above sea level, the Hanle Dark Sky Reserve (HDSR) will come up within the Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary.

The Department of Science and Technology and experts from the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Bengaluru, are providing scientific and technological support in developing this first-of-its-kind facility. The IIA already manages the Indian Astronomical Observatory (IAO) complex at Hanle, Ladakh.

Here, scientists have been carrying out astronomical observations using the existing gamma ray, an infrared and an optical telescope to study exoplanets, galaxies and stars through the pristine skies of Hanle.

The formal decision to set up this Dark Sky Reserve was made through a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between officials from the IIA, Bengaluru, the Ladakh UT and the Ladakh Autonomous Hill Development Council in June this year.

Why was Ladakh chosen for the project?

Ladakh is a unique cold desert located about 3,000 metres above sea level with high mountainous terrains. Long and harsh winters with minimum temperatures dropping to minus 40 degrees Celcius make large parts of the UT highly inhabitable.

This aridity, limited vegetation, high elevation and large areas with sparse populations – all make it the perfect setting for long-term astronomical observatories and dark sky places.

But the primary objective of the proposed Dark Sky Reserve is to promote astronomy tourism in a sustainable and environment-friendly manner. Scientific methods will be used here to preserve the night sky from ever-increasing light pollution.

With metros, cities and peripheral areas experiencing light pollution and remaining constantly lit up, there are diminishing areas that offer a view of clear skies on cloudless nights, experts have noted.

Will this help boost tourism in Ladakh?

After it became a UT, tourism in Ladakh has seen an uptick during favourable months. However, its fragile environment is vulnerable to rising carbon footprint and in-coming vehicles. The Ladakh Tourism Vision Document 2022 underlined the need for efforts to increase the use of green fuels and boost carbon-neutral activities.

“The locals in Ladakh are sensitive towards the conservation of the ecosystem. They are keen to protect the environment from getting deteriorated,” said Prof Annapurni Subramaniam, Director, IIA. Since June, experts have held active interactions with the locals. A number of initiatives are underway ahead of opening the HDSR to the public.

“Our teams travelled to remote villages to give hand-outs to villagers sharing details about the training programmes,” the IIA Director said.

In the pilot phase, the IIA has procured ten small and easy-to-handle telescopes and light-reflecting shields. IIA’s scientists and outreach experts will identify locals and train them to use these telescopes. This will include basic sky gazing, identification of constellations, and locating the pole star, among others. These telescopes will be installed at the homestays, which is a popular option for tourist accommodation in Ladakh.

The 22-km radius around the Hanle observatory, where the core Dark Sky Reserve will stand, will have restrictions imposed on outdoor lighting. All vehicles will be barred from using high-beam headlights. Houses here will be encouraged to use curtains of darker shades, install light reflecting shields and switch off all unwanted illumination.

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How astrotourism is growing in India

The pandemic, isro’s ‘chandrayaan’, elon musk, and a slew of amateur astronomy clubs have all served as catalysts in india’s skyrocketing interest in astrotourism.

It is bitterly cold. Even in mid-May. Out on an open terrace, close to midnight, the temperature hovers around low single digits. The cold seeps through layers of clothing and gets under the skin. The air is thin, making breathing a bit laboured. But none of the discomfort registers. Instead, the drama up above is transfixing. The night sky is inky black and thickly carpeted with stars—some faint, some bright, some feel close enough to touch. It is spectacularly surreal. Even the few constellations that I can usually recognise (Little Bear, Great Bear, Orion) are lost in the stunning celestial show. In the far distance, a dense collection that appears like a puffy cloud is the Milky Way. Clearly, there’s a reason why Hanle, a remote village in Ladakh, is the fulcrum of India’s first and only dark sky reserve, and the aspirational destination for India’s growing astrotourism community.

Spread over 1,073 sq. km, the reserve is named after Hanle village which sits in a valley carved by the eponymous river in the middle of the Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary, home to the rare kiang (Tibetan wild ass), 4,500m above sea level. It is about 7-8 hours from Leh and the nearest airport. The air is rare and the journey is through stunningly beautiful landscape but torturous roads. So it takes effort and determination to reach. And yet, a hitherto trickle of visitors is steadily swelling. While a few come for the wildlife, the overwhelming majority arrive to look at the skies. Especially after December 2022, when it was designated a dark sky reserve, a massive shot in the arm for the country’s fledgling astrotourism. While September to March is the best time to visit, Hanle has clear skies for much of the year.

Also Read: Shooting the sky in Ladakh

On the terrace around me are a handful of others, from Mumbai, Ahmedabad and other far-flung places. Strangers united in silent camaraderie and shared fascination of the heavens. A lone telescope between us has died. Undeterred, we reconcile to looking at pictures on the tiny screen of a DSLR camera on a tripod that is set to long exposure. The rest of the time is spent just gazing wide-eyed at the sky, trying to figure stars, planets and constellations from an app. There are deep sighs of wonder, whispered pointing. There’s no reason to whisper, but it feels deeply insulting to sully the sheer magnificence with sound. The only time the silence is broken, with gentle oohing and aahing, is when a shooting star gracefully streaks across the sky.

The pinnacle of the night skies

For sky gazers, Hanle is akin to pilgrimage, the holy grail of night skies. Not just stars, planets and the Milky Way, but in winter, it is possible to see the Andromeda Galaxy (2.5 million light years away). By day, the village’s stark landscape—flat bare lands in shades of brown and occasional green, set against a backdrop of towering peaks, some topped by snow—is breathtaking. By night, the stunningly clear skies take one’s breath away too. This is due to two attributes. It has no dust or light pollution (1 on the Bortle scale, a nine-level numeric scale which measures the night sky’s brightness) and is situated in a dry, rain-shadow area, offering 170 cloud-free and moisture-free nights and 270 usable nights (night sky observation possible for four hours or more). The latter is almost impossible to find anywhere else in the country. All of these conditions made it the perfect place for something unique two decades ago.

Just beyond the village, rising quite dramatically is a set of rocky, pebbly hills which is the site of Hanle’s pre-eminence. On the highest peak sits a sci-fi-like metallic structure—an astronomy station with optical, infrared and gamma-ray telescopes. Established in 2000, Hanle is the location of the Indian Astronomical Observatory (IAO) run by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), a high-altitude astronomy station, 10th-highest in the world. Subsequently, the village began to be frequented mostly by scientists, researchers and hardcore astronomers.

For the longest time, the night sky with its infinite stars, has mesmerised and mystified. Almost every ancient civilisation, and not so ancient ones, embodies myths and stories around stars and constellations. More relatably, stars have been used to tell time and guide ships to land, are believed to influence human behaviour, and their paths and positions are deemed to dictate the auspiciousness or not of a moment, a relationship, an enterprise or an occasion. They are also imbued with magic and good fortune: a falling star, it is believed, can make wishes come true.

Indian astronomy goes back centuries, but it is Aryabhata (fifth century) who is held as the pinnacle of astronomy knowledge, followed by such names as Varahamira and Bhaskara. However, it is only in the last hundred years or so that the field gained recognition through the efforts of such icons as C.V. Raman, Homi Jehangir Bhabha and Vikram Sarabhai. Setting up organisations, departments, societies and amateur clubs signposted this period. Throughout, apart from dedicated subject experts, it was only a small band of outsiders or amateur astronomers who were interested in the skies. But one global event was to change it significantly.

In early 2020, the world began convulsing as covid-19 unleashed mayhem. The resultant lockdowns made people yearn for the outdoors and wide open spaces. As lockdowns were eased, stargazing served as the perfect antidote. What’s more, it also provided the perfect avenue for binoculars and DSLR cameras that had languished for months, which doubled as telescopes. The sudden uptick in skywatching and stargazing grew into something of a trend. Agreed it’s still a bit niche, but the momentum is undeniable. Not everyone desires or makes it to Hanle. Instead, more than two dozen well-known dark sky areas (up to Bortle scale 4) and scores of locations which have minimal light pollution have become popular within the astrotourism community.

“Astrotourism is a relatively new phenomenon for India but it has a slightly longer history in other parts of the world. The whole idea is the awestruck feeling that you get by watching the star-studded sky from a pitch dark location is something worth travelling for,” explains Mumbai-based avid stargazer Aniket Sule.

“There is a growing awareness that dark skies are a part of our natural resource and heritage and is something to preserve,” says Niruj Mohan Ramanujam, head of IIA’s science communication, public outreach and education section.

While the pandemic might have served as an unexpected trigger, a set of ensuing events appear to have fed the interest. “After covid hit, everybody was looking at stars and people realised this is something that can be done,” says Ramashish Ray, founder of Starscapes, a company that runs a chain of observatories that provide astronomy experiences across the country. “Armchair skywatching also increased a lot of interest in astrotourism. Isro (Indian Space Research Organisation) events like Chandrayaan, (US space agency) Nasa events, and (SpaceX founder) Elon Musk sending spacecraft fired up the imagination of people. Suddenly space is cool,” he says. Also, galactic events like eclipses and meteor showers increase interest and add to the popularity of astrotourism, he says.

Ray’s experiment with a small observatory in Kausani, Uttarakhand, was successful enough for him to expand it and set up observatories in Madikeri in Karnataka, and Mukteshwar and Bhimtal along with Kausani (all three in Uttarakhand), complete with high-end telescopes, museum with virtual reality shows, merchandise store, workshops and equipment for astrophotography. In 10 other locations across the country, Starscapes has stargazing facilities that it has set up with hospitality partners such as Club Mahindra, St Regis and ITC in their properties (not above 4 on the Bortle scale) at locations conducive to skywatching.

Aditya Sharma, community director of Vaatalya, a mountain top community retreat in Himachal Pradesh, set up in 2007 with a 360-degree unobstructed panoramic view of the night sky, estimates that there has been a 30% growth in astrotourism post covid. He ascribes the rising popularity of astrotourism to several factors. “There has been a noticeable increase in awareness and appreciation for the beauty of the night sky. Technological advancements have played a crucial role, making advanced equipment for celestial observation more accessible to enthusiasts,” he says.

Sharma adds that astrotourism has experienced a surge in popularity, driven not only by special celestial events like eclipses and meteor showers but also by sustained interest in the wonders of the night sky. “The annual Geminid showers (12-15 December; see box), renowned for their spectacular display, have notably captured significant interest. The rise of eco-friendly tourism, with a preference for sustainable and experiential travel, has contributed to the appeal of astrotourism. A noteworthy point to consider is the significant investments made by the government in organisations like Isro, particularly evident in initiatives like Chandrayaan . This not only signifies a heightened sense of awareness but also sparks increased interest in astronomy among the public,” he says.

Slipping into childhood

For many it is about childhood and nostalgia too. Sule, an associate professor at Homi Bhabha Centre for Science Education, Mumbai, as well as the chair of the Public Outreach and Education Committee of the Astronomical Society of India, says his fascination with the night skies goes back to his childhood. “I started as an amateur astronomer when I was in grade 5, in 1990. We could just hop on a local train and go to Wangani village, which had pristine skies. We used to go there at least once a month, but the sky condition in all such small towns around Mumbai has changed drastically in the last three decades. Now visiting any site with the sky even half as decent requires a lot more planning (booking the site, booking transport, planning food, etc.) and much more travel. So, at present, my own sky-gazing frequency has gone down drastically.”

Ray says his own childhood experiences were contributory to the setting up of Starscapes. “It comes from a deep personal experience. As children we used to sleep on the roof top of our house. One of my best memories is seeing the sky full of stars and my father telling stories to my brother and me about the different shapes. We’d try to identify the constellations like ‘bhaloo’ (Great/Little Bear)… Such experiences don’t exist anymore and they have just disappeared from our cities. It is something I could give my child when we were abroad, but it is a big part of the motivation that is driving me,” he says.

The IIA says it is attempting to rekindle and sustain such emotions. “We are interested in getting everybody to just look up and enjoy our night sky and engage in conversations about what we see there, what they are, and how did we arrive at the knowledge we now have,” says Ramanujam. “Our goal is to promote preservation of dark skies in Hanle and also around India and link it to astrotourism. Astrotourism is an important example of a science-driven socioeconomic development programme which caters to remote areas which have dark skies, and is hence important.”

Amateur astronomers to the fore

Fuelling the country’s massive interest in stargazing and the night skies are a slew amateur astronomy clubs which work as a crucial networking tool. Pune-based Jyotirvidya Parisanstha is considered to be the country’s oldest, dating back to 1944. Since then all metros and several other cities have birthed their own. The Association of Bangalore Amateur Astronomers (ABAA), set up in the mid-1970s, has over 500 members, and meets every Sunday evening in the serene surroundings of the Jawaharlal Nehru Planetarium. “About 20-30 people turn up regularly. But closer to cosmic events, like eclipses, attendance increases dramatically,” says association president Ravindra Aradhya. The volunteer-driven association is among the more active organisations and conducts a variety of education, awareness and outreach programmes, holds talks and discussions, spearheads stargazing trips and all kinds of events.

Aradhya says the sense of community and sharing is one of the highlights of the association. “Not just members but anyone can attend our meetings. There is no age limit; all we ask is an abiding interest. There are experienced members with over four decades of astronomy experience who are happy to guide newcomers, share our knowledge about what (stars, planets, galaxies or nebulas) and where to see, what kind of equipment to buy (telescopes and cameras) and we even train them. We also help them build their own telescope, polish and grind them,” he says. He agrees that interest has been steadily rising of late.

“Based on past surveys and networking efforts we estimate that there are more than 200 independent groups of amateur astronomers in the country. Some of these are larger than others, so you hear more about them. But it is difficult to make a distinction between serious stargazers and hobby stargazers,” says Sule. A few years ago, a rough estimate indicated there are over 5,000 serious amateur astronomers and perhaps 50 times that number of astronomy enthusiasts. Another speculates that it could be about 5 million in India alone. But these are wild guesstimates at best.

Shooting of the celestial kind

Gazing at the night skies frequently triggers an adjacent passion—astrophotography. It helps that several phone models now come equipped with enough bells and whistles that make it easy to photograph night skies, though high-end DSLR cameras are eminently desirable. But often, astrophotography is an unexpected dividend from daytime activity. As it is for award-winning wildlife photographer Srikanth Mannepuri. When he is not stalking and photographing the elusive fishing cat in mangroves of East Godavari district or snakes in Papikonda National Park, Andhra Pradesh, or Olive Ridley sea turtles that come to nest along Andhra Pradesh’s coast, he pitches up on a dark beach and revels in photographing the night sky.

“Around 2014-15, when I was photographing turtles and fireflies along Andhra coastline, I looked for zero light pollution areas. I realised these areas also had absolutely clear skies with fantastic views of the Milky Way. That’s when I started photographing night skies and it was phenomenal,” he says.

Once he began sharing occasional night sky photos on his Instagram page, he was flooded with requests. “People were astonished that the pictures were from the Andhra coast and wanted to see it for themselves. After the second wave of the pandemic, I started taking small groups of people to do astrophotography,” he says. Over the last three years he has done over 30 camps in places like Antarvedi, Uppada, Tuni in Andhra Pradesh with zero light pollution, for people from all over the country.

Seeking deeper meaning

Beyond the visceral aspect, skywatching and stargazing are credited with cerebral and spiritual qualities.

“The immersive experiences offered by stargazing, providing captivating and unique encounters, have further fuelled its popularity,” says Sharma. “There is a broader societal shift towards seeking deeper and more meaningful travel experiences, with astrotourism catering to a diverse audience and capturing imaginations,” he says. “Observing the night sky becomes a gateway to understanding our place in the universe, fostering mental well-being and a holistic appreciation of nature. This holistic approach aligns with the broader benefits of skywatching, promoting mindfulness, community connection, and scientific curiosity.”

Ray says looking at the skies is important because it is not just educative but sustains wonder and curiosity. “It’s only when you look up that you understand a bit of man’s evolution. Man’s first stories are about hunting and about these shapes in the sky. It evokes a sense of curiosity, that there is something beyond. It raises questions about what is space and what am I in relation to the universe. It’s not the philosophical part of it but actually the scientific part of it. There is curiosity when you see something that is millions of light years away and understand the time that light has taken to travel. It is a bit like time travel into the past.”

Hanle certainly delivers on all this in spades. Much before I arrived in the village, IAO’s engineer-in-charge, Dorje Angchuk, who’s also an astro-photographer, told me that when people see the night sky in Hanle, they say it is a life-altering, mind-blowing experience. “They say they feel like they are in heaven,” he said. As I swivelled my head and tried to take in the sheer vastness and absolute splendour, that seemed about right.

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Coming soon: Geminid meteor showers

What: A celestial fireworks display. This one is the consequence of earth passing through the remains of an asteroid. It results in a string of shooting stars that present a captivating spectacle. Under a dark moon-less sky, an estimated 120 meteors are expected to be visible. They appear to originate from the Gemini constellation and hence the name.

When: 12-15 December, with peak activity predicted for 14 December; best viewed between 2-3am.

Where: Visible from anywhere in the country with relatively dark skies; in the direction of the Gemini constellation (north-east of Orion).

Where to see stars

Some of the best places in India for stargazing:

Hanle, Nubra Valley, Turtuk, PangongTso in Ladakh; Sonmarg in Jammu and Kashmir; Katao, Yumthang valley in Sikkim; Shnongpdeng in Meghalaya; Bomdila and Tawang in Arunachal Pradesh; Spiti in Himachal Pradesh; Jaisalmer, Churu in Rajasthan; Rann of Kutch in Gujarat; Pachmarhi in Madhya Pradesh; Taregna in Bihar; Koraput in Odisha; Lonar, Dehne, Mahuli in Maharashtra; Coorg, Sakleshpur, Chickamagalur in Karnataka; Yelagiri, Kodanad, Jawadhu hills (Vainu Bappu Observatory) in Tamil Nadu; Srisailam, Antervedi in Andhra Pradesh; Havelock, Mayabundar, Neil Island in Andaman and Nicobar

Stargazing essentials

Basic telescope, a red flashlight for night vision or a headlamp, and bug spray/insect repellent.

Get in touch with local astronomy clubs and join a star party.

Download a night-sky app and a weather app—cloudy skies can play spoilsport.

Use stargazing apps like Google Sky, Nasa app, Star Tracker, Skysafari or Skyview to identify celestial objects until you get familiar with them.

Best viewing is around new moon night plus immediately before/after; moonlight can affect viewing.

Look for a place with this golden trifecta—minimal light pollution, high altitude and open space.

Armchair astronomy

In the absence of access to dark skies, visit the nearest planetarium since they often have all kinds of resources, and one can meet fellow skywatchers. There are 48 planetariums across the country, with the best ones in Bengaluru, Mumbai, Chennai, Guwahati, Hyderabad, Kolkata, and Pune. They have exhibitions and shows related to various astronomical aspects, eclipses and meteor showers.

Anita Rao Kashi is a Bengaluru-based journalist and travel writer.

Also Read: India’s new heritage sites: 900 years old

• FIRST PUBLISHED 08.12.2023 | 05:00 PM IST
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Astrotourism in India

• 1 Understand
• 2.1 Jantar Mantars
• 3 Planetaria
• 4 Spaceflight sites and museums

Astrotourism is basically space tourism. While going out as an astronaut is a privilege for only a few, there are several observatories and planetaria in India where the beauty of space can be seen. There are also spaceflight sites and museums to enjoy India's space exploration adventure.

The history of astronomy in India is thousands of years old. Astronomers like Āryabhaṭa, Brahmagupta, Varāhamihira, Bhāskara I and Bhāskara II came from India. Indian astronomy significantly influenced Muslim astronomy, Chinese astronomy, European astronomy and others.

The Indian space programme began in the 1960s, which is known for performing incredible space missions at low cost, including Chandrayaan-1, Mangalyaan (Mars Orbiter Mission), Chandrayaan-2 and Chandrayaan-3. The rockets used in the programme include Satellite Launch Vehicle (SLV), Augmented Satellite Launch Vehicle (ASLV), Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV), Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) and Launch Vehicle Mark III (LVM3), of which PSLV, GSLV and LVM3 are in active used as of 2024. The rockets are launched from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC SHAR) at Sriharikota , near Chennai .

Observatories

Jantar Mantars

Jantar Mantars are five observatories built by Maharaja Jai Singh II in 1727–1734. Except the one in Ujjain , all other observatories are not in active use.

• 8.50972 76.94648 7 Priyadarshini Space Planetarium . One of the largest planetaria in India and rated as one of the best horizontal planetaria of the world. It has a collection of astronomical science objects from the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). Two major shows regarding various secrets of universe are done daily. It has a good Sky Theatre, a large conference hall and is the location of regular space-related programs.  

Spaceflight sites and museums

• Astrotourism in Australia
• Spaceflight sites
• Science tourism

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Astro Tourism in India

Astrotourism resembles other popular forms of tourism like adventure travel and wildlife viewing but is more eco-friendly compared to them, while also creating local employment opportunities.

Amateur astronomers have evolved into successful astro-entrepreneurs, hosting events for tourists at commercial rates and offering cross-subsidy models to reach markets that might otherwise remain untapped.

1. Dark Sky Reserves

Essentially, a Dark Sky Reserve is a place with policies in place to safeguard and conserve the night sky’s natural splendor and beauty. These include policies such as reducing artificial light pollution, making celestial bodies like the moon and stars easier to see, educating visitors about appreciating night skies in general, as well as promoting astronomy tourism and creating jobs within local communities. A Dark Sky Reserve also helps local economies by providing revenue sources and jobs creation.

As part of its efforts to expand astronomy tourism, Ladakh Union Territory administration recently designated India’s inaugural Dark Sky Reserve at Hanle Village in Eastern Ladakh – within Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary which also houses India Astronomical Observatory. The 1,073 sq km space offers excellent conditions for stargazing tourism.

Hanle Observatory stands at 4,500 metres above sea level and enjoys cloudless skies with low atmospheric disturbance, providing ideal conditions for using telescopes by astronomers. It is anticipated that its new observatory will draw many enthusiasts and align itself with India’s impressive space achievements.

This reserve will foster the spread of astronomy among young people as well as increase scientific tourism in Ladakh. Furthermore, economic development will be promoted in Hanle and its surrounding villages through this venture. Earlier this year, the Indian Institute of Astrophysics at Bengaluru signed a three-way MoU with Hanle observatory to establish a high altitude astronomy center – which would become India’s second highest optical telescope – at Hanle.

As part of its initiative, IIA purchased 24 basic telescopes and distributed them to select villagers within the reserve for use as Astronomy Ambassadors for tourists. As Dorje Angchuk from Hanle Observatory explained: this initiative will benefit everyone. Through funding from the UT administration, they have taught basic sky gazing techniques including constellation identification and pinpointing. “With funding from them (UT administration), we taught basic sky gazing methods including identification and localizing the pole star.”

Coimbatore students were treated to an incredible view of the Milky Way and other celestial bodies during a recent trip to Hanle. One young student, Akshay Sathish, recalls that every inch of sky was filled with stars and star clusters; for him it was “magical experience”.

2. Observatories

Astro tourism is a new travel trend where travellers seek out locations with pollution-free skies to enjoy stargazing and take photographs of the Milky Way. Though well established in Western cultures, this idea has recently begun making inroads into India through declaration of dark sky reserves in places such as Hanle in Ladakh and construction of astro parks like Benital in Uttarakhand, Rajasthan, and Madhya Pradesh villages like Benital – even government bodies have caught wind of it: Rajasthan’s Department of Science and Technology hosts stargazing events while Uttarakhand have created an Astro Village at Phyang in Uttarakhand to further stimulate this idea’s popularity.

Jantar Mantar is one of India’s best-known observatories thanks to Rajput king Jai Singh II’s ingenuity in building five observatories around Delhi, Varanasi, Ujjain and Jaipur. Jantar Mantar literally means “instruments to calculate,” with these instruments used for measuring star and planet movements in the sky. There are however other observatories with lesser-known histories which still amaze and inspire.

Domestic travellers are also increasingly drawn to observatories as part of their domestic travel experiences, with families eager to discover the night sky together. Astrotourism is especially popular in remote and undeveloped regions which boast dark skies free of light pollution from cities, towns or villages; such destinations also host celestial events like eclipses or meteor showers.

Experience centres have also emerged to provide astronomy activities. Astro camps teach children fundamentals of physics, chemistry, biology and math through hands-on activities; several of these events are hosted by schools or NGOs to foster an interest in space exploration, particularly among girls.

Astrotourism in India is growing increasingly popular through specialised accommodation like astro homestays. Sonal Asgotraa of Astrostays, located in Maan Village in Ladakh, reports a 30-to-40% rise in people opting for this form of lodging since travel resumed after the pandemic.

3. Experience Centres

Astronomy is one of the few subjects that can draw the interest and participation of people from diverse backgrounds, making it an ideal candidate for experiential marketing. Brands looking to differentiate themselves and leave an indelible mark on consumers must look beyond hard-sell tactics in favour of immersive spaces that allow customers to socialize, discover, mingle and truly experience and relate to the brand in question.

Starscapes, a cosmic-themed experience centre, gives visitors the chance to build rockets, spot constellations in the night sky, model sundials and cameras, learn about their science behind them and much more. Starscapes currently has centres in Kausani and Bhimtal with more planned as of 2022; each experience designed to demystify astronomy for newcomers while being led by trained and experienced astronomers who explain its intricacies.

Resorts and hotels are increasingly offering astronomy-based experiences to their guests. Sariska’s treetop astronomy resort sits within what is classified as Class 4 space on the Bortle scale, giving visitors incredible views of the Milky Way; wildlife tours also take guests through this protected reserve’s dense forests and rugged cliffs. Similar astrotourism offerings have also been established in Jaisalmer and Bundi.

Sonal Asgotraa, founder of Astrostays – offering accommodation to tourists visiting Ladakh villages Maan and Phyang for astronomy tours – believes this trend has been furthered by organisations like the International Dark Association working to reduce light pollution through dark sky reserves and parks as well as recent pop culture influencers such as movies like Interstellar. She also points to an increasing interest among kids as a career choice with more colleges providing undergraduate courses in fields like astrophysics and aerospace engineering.

People now don’t need to travel as far-off locations like Hanle or Benital just to indulge in astrotourism in India; thanks to observatories, dark sky reserves, experience centres, and observatories opening across India, people can now engage with this hobby locally – observatories can now open at hill stations or beach towns so aspiring astronomers can even open their own observatory in nearby hills stations or beach towns!

4. Dark Sky Places

Astrotourism has seen significant progress over time due to the efforts of amateur astronomers who have transformed themselves into “Astro-entrepreneurs”, offering events for schools and the general public at a fee. Furthermore, they operate observatories and experience centres which provide celestial experiences without needing expensive equipment – thus significantly lowering entry barriers to Astro tourism compared to what was required previously. Still much needs to be done for it become mainstream including supporting voluntary efforts as well as individual start-ups; providing different financial models; reaching underrepresented groups while also addressing challenges faced within this sector

At one time, stargazing required extensive travel and investment in equipment to experience. Now however, this experience can be found right near your holiday destination. From hill stations such as Mukteshwar and Madikeri in Karnataka to seaside towns like Goa and Pondicherry with state-of-the-art telescopes installed at observatories or experience centers – Astro tourists now see the skies as their frontier!

Astrotourism has caught the attention of various government bodies as well, who are supporting its expansion by creating observatory-based experiences like Rajasthan’s running camps in remote locations such as Sariska Tiger Reserve ; while Uttarakhand government supports private organisations that conduct outreach programs in this field.

India’s inaugural Astro-tourism Destination has been recognized as an official Dark Sky Reserve, located near Hanle village in Ladakh. Situated at an elevation of 4,500m in a cluster of six hamlets (Bhok, Shado, Punguk, Khuldo and Naga refugee habitations inside Changthang Cold Desert Wildlife Sanctuary), this one of the highest dark sky reserves globally and its cloudless skies with low atmospheric water vapour make it the perfect environment to observe celestial bodies.

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Best Astronomy Tourism places In India

Prerna Gautam

Staring at the sky looking for the answer to life and intense introspection are deeply connected. There are many things hidden in a dark starry sky like peace, calm and rest. It’s a calling and it’s a need too. It’s time you pack your bags and move to a place where the one task you have over you to do is to rest, relax and look at the stars. Cut the noise and cut the sounds of your cities by travelling to any great location that offers you the best stargazing experience. In this article, we are going to bring light to the best destination for Astronomy in India .

I believe that space travel will one day become as common as airline travel is today.” – Buzz Aldrin.

Top Astronomy tourism places in India

Shaheed Dweep, Andaman and Nicobar

A tiny island earlier known as Neil Island is bounded by the Bay of Bengal which makes this place look magical. It’s a part of South Andaman. It’s a major tourist attraction but stays low on the crowd as it’s at the extreme end of India where you can commute only via Air and later by ship. Here you are away from pollution and city noise. In the evening the lighting pollution is non-existent too. 

Here you can sit back and watch the stars for as long as you want. The atmosphere is so surreal that you will feel one with nature.

Best time to visit: The best time to visit Shaheed Dweep is in winter between October to February. 

Commute: First you need to take a connecting flight to Port Blair. It’s connecting from Kolkata. Later one needs to take a ferry from Port Blaire to Shaheed Dweep. The timing of the ferry from Port Blaire to Shaheed Dweep is 6 AM to 11 AM. 

Extra Information : The ferry price is from INR 195 to INR 250 or INR 350 depending on the kind of service you choose.

Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh

It’s time to get surrounded by the valleys that offer you peace and calmness. Spiti is one such place. This beautiful spot is bounded by the Himalayas from all sides. Located in Himachal Pradesh, this place is a well-known spot for astronomy tourism. People come here from all over India. This place is people’s favourite as many come here for the monastery, trekking and to explore the less-known place that Spiti Valley. 

Some other great things you can do here are taste the local food, do yak safari, trekking and hiking. 

Best time to visit: The best time to visit Spiti is from March to June. At this time the temperature ranges from 0 – 15 degree Celsius. 

Commute: There are two routes to reach Spiti, the first one being Lahaul and Spiti. This is separated from Kullu by the Rohtang Pass and Kunzum Pass. This lies on the Manali-Leh highway. This route is suitable as it’s accessible only during summer. 

There is another route that is accessible throughout the year, it’s Shimla via Kannur. 

Extra Information: Some places you can visit here are Chandratal Lake, Key Monastery, Kunzum Pass, Pin Valley etc.

Rann of Kutch, Gujarat

This grand salt marshland is located in Rann of Kutch. An essential part of Gujarat it is also the favourite destination for people fond of astronomy tourism. This huge expanse is a part of the Thar desert. This magical place is very popular for the optical illusions that it makes as if they are real. This one of its kind region has been featured in various movies too like Ram Leela, Refugee, Hum Dil De Chuke Sanam etc. The word Rann means desert. This place is away from the usual city life and a lot of people seek escape here when in search of great astronomic locations.

Best time to visit: The best time to visit Rann of Kutch is October to February. At this time the temperature is slightly more bearable than in summer. 

Commute: We would recommend taking a private cab or self-driven car from Ahmedabad. The closest railway station to Rann of Kutch is Bhachau railway station and the closest airport is Kandla Airport. 

Extra Information: The Handicrafts of Rann of Kutch are very popular. Make sure you visit and definitely shop for some of them. The collection of handicrafts here is unique and you get to see beautiful embroidery of many styles like Ahir, Banni, Ari and Soof. You also get to see the mirror work here.

Nubra Valley, Ladakh

Nubra Valley is a part of the Ladakh Union territory. It is much known for its astonishing view of the sky and the lights falling from the stars. This is the favourite place of people who love to spot constellations in solace. Many tourists visit this place to camp around and experience the silence they seek within themselves. Nubra Valley is also famous for Bactrian camel rides. These camels are rare because they have two humps and it’s found here in Ladakh. There is also a Diskit monastery that is popular in Nubra Valley.

Best time to visit: The best time to visit the Nubra Valley is June to September. Winters must be avoided as the temperature is unbearable. 

Commute: The only way to visit this mesmerising valley is by road. There is no flight or rail connectivity. The nearest airport is Leh Rimponchee. The nearest railway station is Udhampur.

Extra Information: Some of the best activities you can experience in Nubra Valley are visiting Panamik village, Yarab Tso, Sumur, Lachung temple and Hundur monastery

Pangong Lake, Ladakh 

A very popular lake especially after the release of 3 idiots. This is the best attraction in Ladakh . The astonishing feature of this lake is that it changes its colour from azure to light blue and then to green and grey. 

The silence here is soothing and the best place for tourists who want to lie down under the stars and gaze at them endlessly. The lake supports no aquatic life due to its high salinity. It’s a haven for various migratory birds and ducks like Brahmani ducks and seagulls.

Best time to visit: The best time to visit Pangong Lake is June to September. Winters must be avoided as the temperature is unbearable.

Commute: The only way to visit this mesmerising valley is by road. One can take up a cab and go on a breathtaking road trip to this lake. There is no flight or rail connectivity. The only way to visit this mesmerising valley is by road. There is no flight or rail connectivity. The nearest airport is Leh Rimpochee. The nearest railway station is Udhampur.

Extra Information: The food that you must try while in Ladakh is Thukpa. This is a soupy dish with noodles, Tsampa is a dish made out of barley and Skyu is a heavy pasta dish made with many veggies in it.

If you are satisfied with the list of these best places it’s time you decide and visit one of these destinations soon. There are a few more locations that are popular for astronomy tourism like Coorg in Karnataka, Jaisalmer in Rajasthan, Katao in Sikkim, Roopkund in Uttarakhand, Sonmarg in Jammu and Kashmir etc. So, what are you waiting for pack your bags and get going. Look into nature and feel calm. It’s time to realise how small we and our problems are in front of the mysteries of the universe. It’s time to pay respect to nature and bow down to it by admiring it .

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FAQ’s

Which is the best place for stargazing in india.

Spiti Valley, Neil Island, Nubra Valley, Coorg, and Rann of Kutch are some of the best places for stargazing in India. 

Where can we see clear skies in India?

Spiti Valley, Neil Island, Nubra Valley, Coorg, Rann of Kutch etc. are some of the best places to admire a clear sky.

What is astronomy tourism?

Astronomy tourism is a destination where no artificial light exists at night. Such tourism is popular so that tourists can experience gazing at clear skies. 

Can we see the Milky Way from the naked eye ?

Even though the Milky Way is more than 100,000 light years in diameter. The Milky Way can still be seen from Earth with the naked eye from places where there is no air and light pollution.

Where can I see the Milky Way in India?

The Milky Way can be seen in Nubra Valley, Pangong, Sonmarg, Coord and Neil Island.

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Travel trend: Why Astro Tourism is growing among domestic travellers in India?

Travel experts spill the beans on why is there an interest in astro tourism among domestic travellers, what are some of the common locations for astro tourism in india and a list of activities for a person who has never experienced astro tourism.

Travel enthusiasts, who crave a holistic astronomy experience to give voice to their curiosity about the vast skies beyond our stratosphere, can gain an integrated astronomy experience through Astro Tourism, a trend that has seen an increasing number of travellers who are keen to get to experience activities such as stargazing , sun observations, stargazing parties with friends, experiential science activities and much more. The spike in Astro Tourism could be a result of the post pandemic world where many people are looking for less crowded and nature driven experiences or the offer of a sense of discovery as when you look up at the sky, you may see a big white moon or two bright stars that never twinkle but when you look at them through the telescope, the moon suddenly has massive features (craters, flat grey surfaces, highlands, etc.) of varied colours and the two bright stars are no longer stars – one is Jupiter, a big disc with a giant red dot on it (which in itself is a storm three times the size of the Earth) and the other is Saturn, with many rings around it.

You literally cannot believe your eyes and you realise that the universe is so much more complex than what you see, with so much left to discover hence, a number of resorts and hotel chains are now offering stargazing as one of the activities for their guests to treat them to a flashback to their childhood. For a large number of people, the last time they looked at the skies and enjoyed the stars was when they were kids and ever since they turned into adults, they moved to a city and neither got the opportunity nor the time to experience the cosmos but looking up at the skies lets them relive their childhood.

In an interview with HT Lifestyle, Paul Savio, CEO and Co-Founder of Starscapes, revealed that Astro Tourism is seeing a spurt for three reasons:

(1) With higher disposable incomes and a more liberal view of living a wholesome life, people are on the lookout for new and exciting experiences that are beyond the usual offerings available. Anything new piques a huge interest, and today people are more willing to try them out than before.

(2) Millennials have, due to access to the internet in their formative years, a much more global exposure to life and career than previous generations. As parents, this demographic is open to encouraging their kids to look at radical career options, and therefore get exposed to such experiences that could kindle an interest in the kids becoming astrophysicists, aerospace engineers or even astronauts.

(3) Space is in the news, with NASA going back to the moon (Artemis), India sending humans to space (Gaganyaan) and space tourism kicking off with private enterprise (SpaceX, Virgin Galactic, Blue Origin). So it is currently top of mind.

He shared, “Lots of people, especially in metros, are beginning to step out to nearby dark sky locations to get a glimpse of the starry sky. Apart from the usual suspects (Ladakh, Spiti, Kodaikanal, Kutch, Coorg, Jaisalmer, etc.), myriad sites exist within 2 hours of all metros which can give a great dark sky experience. However, daytime astronomy as a concept is slowly picking up too.”

According to Neeraj Ladia, CEO of Space Arcade, there is a lot of interest in Astro tourism all over India. He said, “One major reason is social media. More and more people are showing people where they can travel. Places which were accessible for very few people earlier, like mountaineering and trekking, are now common among people. There are videos, reels on social media accounts where there is a lot of conversation around offbeat activities such as astro tourism. People have become more aware of these kinds of things. Astro tourism has gained more popularity post lockdown mainly because people want to be closer to nature and want to do something new and offbeat. Similarly, like wildlife photography/nature photography, people are developing an interest in astro photography too.”

Talking about some of the common activities under astro tourism, Paul Savio highlighted stargazing, sun observation, astrophotography (where you learn how to photograph the night sky and even deep sky objects using different cameras and mounts), astro tours (trips to dark sky locations for an enhanced night sky experience), workshops and activities to understand different phenomena associated with astrophysics and space exploration.

For a person who has never experienced astro tourism, Neeraj Ladia suggested stargazing as one of the most exciting activities to do. Secondly, he recommended, “If it is a starry clear night, guided telescope view of planets and deep sky objects along with an astrophotography session can be quite exciting. With astro tourism, people have an opportunity to see and learn the names of the stars and constellations. They can also go much deeper into understanding these concepts.”

Paul Savio concluded, “Astro Tourism is the sunrise segment of the experiential tourism industry. Massive interest is being shown by luxury resorts across India to incorporate astro-experiences in the bouquet of offerings for their guests. Today, the customer base is overwhelmingly of people who are looking for a new experience and not necessarily an astronomy experience. We expect this to flip in the next 3 years - people will travel with an intent to have an astronomy experience. This will be driven by the springing up of dark sky parks (the astronomy equivalent of national parks) and other dark sky places equipped to service this interest.”

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A Duo is Setting Up Stargazing Observatories in India’s Most Picturesque Destinations

Friends Paul Savio and Ramashish Ray founded Starscapes, a stargazing and astronomy-focused startup that lets visitors understand the wonders and mysteries of space in picturesque locations like Ooty, Bhimtal, and Jaipur.

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The emerging trend of Astro-tourism in India

05 august 2022, 03:11 pm ist.

Representative Image | Photo: AFP

New Delhi: Co-founder CEO of Confirmtkt Dinesh Kumar Kotha said, "The juxtaposition of tourism and science piqued the interest of travelers of all backgrounds in the United States as a recent phenomenon. The Total Solar Eclipse of 2017 witnessed a participation of around 7 million people, which also marked the beginning of the upcoming big travel trend, Astro-tourism."

As the name suggests, Astro-tourism combines astronomy and tourism, allowing travellers to partake in stargazing under the skies free from light pollution. Lately, this latest trend in tourism is gaining tracking in a number of Indian cities as well.

But before you relish a vacation admiring the beauty of the universe, there is a list of things you might want to know to make the best of the vacation. Dinesh Kumar Kotha speaks to IANSlife to give us a complete picture of Astro-tourism, starting from what to expect to the best observatories to visit in India.

Astro tourism in India: What to Expect?

Astro-tourism, a part of eco-tourism, thrives on sustainable travel and draws a chunk of travelers to remote communities. Such a form of tourism not only parallels the existing popular forms like Adventure and Wildlife Tourism but also is more environment-friendly comparatively. The emergence of Astro-tourism in India is driven further by the recent initiative involving the Ministry of Tourism to discuss and explore 'Nature-based Tourism.' The concept was promoted by the Ministry through the webinar series "Dekho Apna Desh".

With the joint effort of the State and Union, arrangements are being made to explore the untapped potential of rural villages as hotspots for Astro-tourism.

For instance, the Benital Village in the Chamoli District of Uttarakhand, located at 2,600 meters above sea level, is set to be one of the first Astro-villages in India. Astro-parks are also developing in Mandu, Madhya Pradesh and Jaipur, introduced by the State Department of Art and Culture.

Moreover, the Ladakh administration has launched initiatives to promote Astro-tourism in Hanle Village in collaboration with the Indian Institute of Astrophysics.

Certainly, the unadulterated atmosphere of rural India, coupled with the thrill of stargazing, sun observation, star parties and experiential science activities, make the most of what one can expect while Astro-touring.

Best Observatories in India to Visit for Astro tourism

Below is a list of the best observatories to visit for Astro-tourism in India:

Jaipur Permanent Observatory: The villages of Bhimtal and Kausani in Jaipur have permanent observatories for all astrophotography enthusiasts. The observatory is equipped with an 8 or 11-inch motorized Go-to telescope and other equipment like high-end DSLR cameras, planetary cameras and photographic mounts.

Pangong Lake, Ladakh: The Astrostay near Pangong Lake is not just a serene getaway for visitors during the day but also a spot for gazing at the constellations at night. The Astrostay has a five-member team of locals who narrate their traditions and folk tales while guiding the tourists toward the stargazing hotspots. Visitors can also access equipment like a Dobsonian telescope and stargazing mobile apps to fall in love with the night skies.

Hanle, Ladakh: The Hanle observatory offers a zero-pollution atmosphere for the tourists to stargaze through the night in the valley. The tourists also have access to several photographs taken at the observatory, which are transmitted to scientists in other parts of the country for research.

What to Keep in Mind while Astro Touring?

Dinesh: Astro-touring is an overwhelming experience of a lifetime. Therefore, you would want to ensure that you are equipped to make your stay worthwhile. It is important to check the weather forecast before you visit and dress accordingly, as temperatures may drop/increase significantly on most nights. Astro-tourism is an incredibly fun activity that appeals to people of all ages. Therefore, Astro-tourism is here to stay and flourish as a popular tourist activity in the upcoming years.

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Astro Night Sky Tourism

Upcoming observations, previous observations.

India is Celebrating Azaadi ka Amrit Mahotsav to celebrate the 75th Anniversary of India’s Independence. During this special celebration, the contribution of India towards Astronomy should not be forgotten. India has a long and rich history in the field of astronomy by notable Indian astronomers and mathematicians who have played a key role in the development of our understanding of the cosmos. To keep the comic spirits high and to enter 2023 with astronomical enthusiasm, we are proud to collaborate with the National Science Centre and Nehru Planetarium, New Delhi for the Astro Night Sky Tourism , under the banner of Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, G20 &  Ministry of Culture . The purpose of this event is to make the city people aware about astronomy and science through engaging activities and ignite their curiosity to look up at the sky and appreciate the celestials themselves. The celebration will hold various activities to know more about Astronomy and Science like Astro-Talk, Storytelling, Sky watch, exhibitions as well engaging quizzes.

The Astro Night Sky Tourism event was appreciated by Hon’ble PM of India Narendra Modi also as he tweeted: “Interesting effort to ignite curiosity towards space and astronomy among our youth.”

About Collaborators

National Science Centre, Delhi under Ministry of Culture , is a part of the largest network of Science Centres/ Museums in the world known as National Council of Science Museums (NCSM), an autonomous society under the Ministry of Culture, Government of India was formed on April 4, 1978.

Delhi Planetarium

Delhi Planetarium has played a seminal role in disseminating knowledge and instilling interest in space science, especially among young minds. State of the art 2D digital system with immersive visual and special effects in the installed planetarium sky theatre that runs innovative and informative shows such as the Ultimate Universe, New Solar System & Astronaut etc. are enthralling. The planetarium is amongst the few that frequently updates full dome shows accompanied with live lectures-all created indigenously. Presently, Planetarium is under renovation process & shall soon be resuming with 3D projection system with new improved programs.

Stay Tuned for the Next Event..

• Astro Night Sky Tourism – Safdarjung Tomb 3rd to 4th June 2023

• Astro Night Sky Tourism – Pragati Maidan 18th to 19th May 2023

• Astro Night Sky Tourism – Jantar Mantar 5th to 6th May 2023

• Astro Night Sky Tourism – Qutub Minar 5th to 6th April 2023

• Astro Night Sky Tourism – The Red City, Bikaner, Rajasthan, 3rd to 4th March 2023

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Astro Night Sky Tourism – Red Fort, 5th to 6th February 2023

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Celestial Wonders: The Best Astronomy Tourism Places in India

• Posted on December 20, 2023

Living in cities deprives us of witnessing the breathtaking beauty of the sky. It seems romantic to look up and witness pristine skies adorned with brilliant, glittering stars. However, there are still locations where nature works its enchanted charm day and night, far from the busy metropolises. Astro-tourism is an exceptional opportunity that renders it achievable to travel simultaneously steeped in the mysticism of astronomy.

These destinations are now recognized as some of the best spots for witnessing the magnificent brilliance of the Milky Way, irrespective of whether you’re a beginner astronomer or merely a lover of starry skies. So, get ready to book affordable flight tickets to India from Vancouver with Tripbeam and check out the best astronomy tourism places in India.

1. Bomai and Burzahom, Kashmir

The beautiful state of Kashmir has a secret that you may not know about. This region has produced prehistoric sculptures that reveal crater lakes were created by a meteor shower impact that occurred between 40,000 and 6000 BP. The greatest places to visit for archeoastronomy are Burzahom and Bomai.

The stone slab acquired from Burzuhama depicts a hunting scene and two suns in the sky. There is a theory that this is a sky map, not a scene of hunting, that marks the positions of prominent constellations on the day 4,600 BC when the supernova was observed. The animal is Taurus, and one of the hunting figurines is exactly like Orion.

2. Shaheed Dweep, Andaman and Nicobar

This location appears mystical since the Bay of Bengal encircles a small island that was formerly known as Neil Island. It’s a South Andaman territory. Despite being a popular tourist destination, it doesn’t become too busy because it’s at the farthest point in India, where the only ways to get there are by air and then ship. You are not surrounded by city noise or pollution here. There is also no illumination pollution in the evening.

You can spend as much time as you like stargazing from this location. The strange surroundings will make you feel at one with nature.

3. Jantar Mantar

Five observatories were built, after an instruction from Raja Jai Singh II, and were finished between 1724—1735. Ujjain, Mathura, Jaipur, Varanasi, and New Delhi are where they are situated. To measure the movements of the stars, the Jantar Mantars use sundials and other equipment. This well-educated monarch chose a large observatory to improve accuracy since it would have the durability and solidity of masonry.

Isn’t it remarkable how our ancestors used their power to further scientific discoveries? At Jaipur Jantar Mantar, the biggest sundial of them all, using the Vrihat Smarat Yantra, also called the “supreme instrument,” the largest sundial in the world would enchant visitors. Furthermore, you can browse Tripbeam to book cheap flights from Kelowna to India .

4. Junapani, Nagpur, Maharashtra

More than 300 stone circles have recently been discovered near Junapani, a prehistoric burial place with megalithic constructions that date from 1000 BC to 300 AD. About 150 of the previously described circles have been studied and documented. The cup with the circle-marked stones raises the prospect of astrological significance, however, the discovery of multiple items revealed that the site was once a burial cemetery. This is because the stones that have cup markings on them point in various directions.

According to a notion, the stones in question could be arranged to represent the passage of time, the rising and lowering of the sun, and the start and finish of the monsoon season. These rings can be spotted on Google Earth due to their size.

5. Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh

Now is the time to envelop yourself in the calm and peaceful valleys. This also applies to Spiti. This breathtaking spot is surrounded by the Himalayas. This place is in Himachal Pradesh and is widely known for its astronomy tourism. People come here from all around India. People adore this destination because it’s the ideal spot for trekking, monastery visits, and seeing the lesser-known Spiti Valley.

The great activities accessible here include trekking, hiking, yak safaris, and tasting the native food. The best time to visit Spiti is from March to June. Right now, the temperature ranges from 0 to 15 degrees Celsius. Also, you can check out Tripbeam.com to grab the cheapest flight tickets from USA to India.

6. Nubra Valley, Ladakh

The borders of the Ladakh Union include Nubra Valley. It is well renowned for its breathtaking vista of the starry sky and the setting stars. This is the ideal location for individuals who find comfort in the sight of constellations. Many tourists camp here in hopes of discovering the inner tranquility they seek. Bactrian camel rides are one of Nubra Valley’s most popular attractions. These camels are unique to Ladakh and can only be found there since they have two humps. Nubra Valley is home to a well-known Diskit monastery as well.

Stargazing is something you should surely try and look forward to, whether you’re arranging a trip to the hills or you’re just making a trip to enjoy the beauty of the sky. You’re left in constant awe at the beauty that occurs throughout the peaceful, surreal procedure. Forevermore, you will cherish the enjoyment of stargazing. You’ll be rushing to the peaks again in no time and can soak up the wonder that is unfolding right in front of your very eyes as soon as you accomplish that. Do you intend to take a trip to India shortly? Make sure to check out the best online travel website Tripbeam to book flights from Quebec to India .

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Travel enthusiasts opt for stargazing vacations

L ast week, when a rare auroral arc was visible after a severe solar storm in Hanle, it triggered a lot of interest in sky watching as an experience,” says Ramashish Ray, founder of Starscapes, a company dedicated to providing astronomical experiences across the country. In today’s world, where adventure seekers seek more immersive experiences from their vacations, a new trend in astro tourism has emerged, captivating the attention of tourism departments and private companies alike. In fact, starting May 31-June 2, academicians, scientists, astro photographers and stargazers from different cities will assemble at George Everest in Mussoorie for Nakshatra Sabha – the campaign dedicated to promote astro tourism. Apart from this, there are many small-duration programmes and itineraries being planned for the growing community of stargazers in India.

‘Space is now cool for people’

An obvious increase in the number of tourists interested in stargazing was observed post pandemic. “Space is now cool for people. Events like ISRO’s Chandrayaan have not only piqued interest in space, but have suddenly made it a cool topic for many. We have been curating astronomy experiences for more than six years now, earlier we would get queries from students, photographers and only those who would have some information and interest in astronomy. Now, everyone wants to witness sky watching as an experience.”

Astro parties, expeditions and workshops

It’s not just stargazing, the concept of astro parties is fast becoming popular. with live music, bonfire and astronomy tambola. l BYOT (Build Your Own Telescope) and magnetism session gives one the opportunity to create their optical masterpiece and understand the science of magnetism l Rocketry workshop allows one to build and launch rockets l Sun show and spectroscopy sessions explore the star through state-of-the-art solar filters l Rocketry and space vehicle DIY workshops help one learn to design and launch rockets that soar towards the stars l And as night falls, you can explore the fascinating history of timekeeping in ‘telling time over Time – the history of time telling

— Details on astro parties by Starscapes

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What is Astro Tourism?

National Council of Science Museums in association with Nehru Memorial Museum and Library organised Astro Tourism - A Sky Gazing event at Delhi's India Gate recently.

About astro tourism:.

• Astro tourism is an experiential travel trend, that combines travellers interest in astronomy, night sky along with the love for exploring new remote locations.
• It also boosts nature-based travelling, tapping on growing interest of tourists to discover destinations that offer the luxury of being close to nature in a comfortable accommodation.
• The Astro Tourism event includes various activities like Astro Talks by expert Astronomers, an Exhibition on Astronomy, Storytelling related to celestial objects, an Experience of using the telescope to see the craters of the Moon, Astronomy Activities, a Photographic Panel Exhibition, and Astro-Photography.

Q1) What is Astronomy?

Astronomy is the study of everything in the universe beyond Earth’s atmosphere. That includes objects we can see with our naked eyes, like the Sun, the Moon, the planets, and the stars.

Source:  MoS for Culture Arjun Ram Meghwal inaugurates Astro Tourism – A Sky Gazing event at Delhi’s India Gate

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Volume 18, No. 6, 2021

The Potential Of Astro-Tourism In India

Manzoor ahmad khan , dr. sandeep guleria.

Astro tourism is the practice of going outside to observe the stars and other celestial occurrences. This promotes community engagement, empowerment, and participation as well as regional growth. Being one of the important industries for promoting sustainable development in rural areas is tourism. It is important to find a product that combines the specific resources of the rural area with consumer demand. India being a vast country with about 75% of the rural population has a vast potential for Astro tourism. This study aims at reviewing the literature on Astro tourism and tapping its potential. This study also aims at identifying and developing Astro destinations all over the country and providing basic facilities at these destinations for tourists.

Pages : 8404-8413

Keywords : Astro destinations, Observatory, Telescope, Astro tourism, Astronomy, Constellation, Milky way, Astro photographers.

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"Houston...qui è una meraviglia!": notti di stelle in Valpiana, Trentino

Cene sotto le stelle a castello di casole, a belmond hotel, tuscany | casole d’elsa - toscana, what our customers say about us.

We are the first destination awarded with the Italian National Astrotourism Certification from Astronomitaly as one of the best astrotourism destination in our country. Since April 2015 we continue to work with Astronomitaly creating successful events and innovative travel proposals that always meet the taste of our customers. Together with Astronomitaly we have been awarded as "Best Italian food and wine event" by the most important bodies in the travel and food and wine sector. I recommend the professionals of AstroTourism.com to all operators in the sector who want to differentiate their services!

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An incredible experience. Prato Selva June 25-26. Thanks to all the staff of Astronomitaly, for their expertise and availability. In a single night we managed to admire Jupiter (including 3 Galilean satellites), Saturn, Mars, Moon plus another large number of stars. Not to mention the "curiosities" on various constellations. Then close with the observation of the Sun on Sunday morning and admire a solar eruption. If you are a fan of astronomy it is an experience that you must give yourself. If you are fasting on this topic, it is something that can show you the wonders that surround us. I absolutely recommend it!

Raffaele Altieri From Facebook

Beautiful evening with background music and telescopes of innovative features surrounded by lights, all that was needed to make this wonderful experience unique. We have observed the stars and in particular the star Vega, a diamond in the sky! The guy who followed us was very kind !!! To redo!!!

Carlo di Paolo From Facebook

Exciting evening. The guys of astronomitaly with great passion allowed us to admire Mars, Jupiter and the magnificent Saturn !!! and ... the day after the fantastic SUN. An unforgettable experience that we will definitely repeat soon in another location.

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May 10, 2024

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Astronomers are on the hunt for Dyson spheres

by Evan Gough, Universe Today

There's something poetic about humanity's attempt to detect other civilizations somewhere in the Milky Way's expanse. There's also something futile about it. But we're not going to stop. There's little doubt about that.

One group of scientists thinks that we may already have detected technosignatures from a technological civilization's Dyson spheres, but the detection is hidden in our vast troves of astronomical data.

A Dyson sphere is a hypothetical engineering project that only highly advanced civilizations could build. In this sense, "advanced" means the kind of almost unimaginable technological prowess that would allow a civilization to build a structure around an entire star. These Dyson spheres would allow a civilization to harness all of a star's energy.

A civilization could only build something so massive and complex if they had reached Level II in the Kardashev Scale. Dyson spheres could be a technosignature, and a team of researchers from Sweden, India, the U.K., and the U.S. developed a way to search for Dyson sphere technosignatures they're calling Project Hephaistos. (Hephaistos was the Greek god of fire and metallurgy.)

They've published their results in the Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society . The research is titled "Project Hephaistos—II. Dyson sphere candidates from Gaia DR3, 2MASS, and WISE."

The lead author is Matías Suazo, a Ph.D. student in the Department of Physics and Astronomy at Uppsala University in Sweden. This is the second paper presenting Project Hephaistos. The first one is here .

"In this study, we present a comprehensive search for partial Dyson spheres by analyzing optical and infrared observations from Gaia, 2MASS, and WISE," the authors write. These are large-scale astronomical surveys designed for different purposes.

Each one of them generated an enormous amount of data from individual stars. "This second paper examines the Gaia DR3, 2MASS, and WISE photometry of ~5 million sources to build a catalogue of potential Dyson spheres," they explain.

Combing through all of that data is an arduous task. In this work, the team of researchers developed a special data pipeline to work its way through the combined data of all three surveys. They point out that they're searching for partially completed spheres, which would emit excess infrared radiation.

"This structure would emit waste heat in the form of mid-infrared radiation that, in addition to the level of completion of the structure, would depend on its effective temperature," Suazo and his colleagues write.

The problem is, they're not the only objects to do so. Many natural objects do, too, like circumstellar dust rings and nebulae. Background galaxies can also emit excess infrared radiation and create false positives. It's the pipeline's job to filter them out.

"A specialized pipeline has been developed to identify potential Dyson sphere candidates focusing on detecting sources that display anomalous infrared excesses that cannot be attributed to any known natural source of such radiation," the researchers explain.

This flowchart shows what the pipeline looks like.

The pipeline is just the first step. The team subjects the list of candidates to further scrutiny based on factors like H-alpha emissions, optical variability, and astrometry.

In the last cut, 368 sources survived. Of those, 328 were rejected as blends, 29 were rejected as irregulars, and four were rejected as nebulars. That left only seven potential Dyson spheres out of about 5 million initial objects, and the researchers are confident that those seven are legitimate.

"All sources are clear mid-infrared emitters with no clear contaminators or signatures that indicate an obvious mid-infrared origin," they explain.

These are the seven strongest candidates, but the researchers know they're still just candidates. There could be other reasons why the seven are emitting excess infrared. "The presence of warm debris disks surrounding our candidates remains a plausible explanation for the infrared excess of our sources," they explain.

But their candidates seem to be M-type ( red dwarf ) stars, and debris disks around M-dwarfs are very rare. However, it gets complicated because some research suggests that debris disks around M-dwarfs form differently and present differently.

One type of debris disk called Extreme Debris Disks (EDD) can explain some of the luminosity the team sees around their candidates. "But these sources have never been observed in connection with M dwarfs," Suazo and his co-authors write.

That leaves the team with three questions: "Are our candidates strange young stars whose flux does not vary with time? Are these stars' M-dwarf debris disks with an extreme fractional luminosity? Or something completely different?"

"After analyzing the optical/NIR/MIR photometry of ~5 x 10 6 sources, we found seven apparent M dwarfs exhibiting an infrared excess of unclear nature that is compatible with our Dyson sphere models," the researchers write in their conclusion.

There are natural explanations for the excess infrared coming from these seven, "But none of them clearly explains such a phenomenon in the candidates, especially given that all are M dwarfs."

The researchers say that follow-up optical spectroscopy would help understand these seven sources better. A better understanding of the H-alpha emissions is especially valuable since they can also come from young disks.

"In particular, analyzing the spectral region around H-alpha can help us ultimately discard or verify the presence of young disks," the researchers write.

"Additional analyses are definitely necessary to unveil the true nature of these sources," they conclude.

Journal information: Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society

Provided by Universe Today

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