‘High-quality telescopes in each district of Rajasthan to promote Astro tourism’

PTI, Mar 7, 2022, 3:59 PM IST

New Delhi: The Rajasthan government’s decision to set up high-quality telescopes in each district, including at four prominent tourists spots in Jaipur, will help promote night sky Astro tourism, Mugdha Sinha, Secretary in the state’s Department of Science and Technology, has said.

A similar telescope will also be fixed at Bikaner House in the national capital.

The move would help in connecting and promoting science with the general public through night sky Astro tourism, Sinha said.

”The decision to set up these telescopes would help promote science, astronomy, and night sky Astro tourism in the state. People keen to read the stars and the sky can visit Jaipur and other districts to enjoy the night tourism,” she told PTI.

It will further boost tourism activities in Jaipur, which is described as an astronomical haven by Time Magazine, the secretary said.

Jaipur is known for its astronomical marvel like Jantar Mantar, which was built in 1734 by Sawai Jai Singh II. It is also a UNESCO world heritage site.

The initiative – Night sky tourism – was launched by the state last year. As part of this initiative, various events are organized every month at different locations in Jaipur, according to the placement of the celestial bodies.

As per the secretary, this would provide huge opportunities to citizens, students, academicians, and tourists from across the world to observe the night sky with the help of these telescopes and other equipment.

”With the announcement to set up these telescopes in every district, the pilot project, which we have started in Jaipur, gets institutionalized all across and even travels to Bikaner House in New Delhi,” she added.