Growing Interest for Stargazing in India

Close to two years of Covid-19 pandemic life has given rise to an absolute need for diversion for many which led to everyone finding avenues for meaningful personal creativity. One of these hobbies, bordering the edge of scientific inquiry, is Astronomy. The new and young India is starting to love the stars and the sky. While every child has wondered about the stars and the space, and dreamt of being an astronaut, due to regular routine and lack of information, the dream couldn’t be pursued. This new found interest in the backyard sky and has lead to an increased interest for stargazing in India.

This change, however, is not so sudden. With movies like Swades and Mission Mangal and of course the continuous efforts if the Indian Space Research Organization (ISRO) in launching satellites and spacecrafts like Chandrayaan, Chandrayaan 2 and Mangalyaan, Indians have been motivated to look up in the sky and re-connect with the cosmos. The two recent Solar eclipses (in December 2019 and June 2020) saw a major surge in awareness for stargazing in India.

The younger generation is leading this growing interest for stargazing in India as they search for some of the darkest skies and best stargazing places in India. Another reason for the growing interest in Stargazing in India is their passion for travel. Travelling to offbeat locations, away from the typical tourist spots has introduced us to good dark skies, where we can see hundreds of stars shining brighter. This has lead to many amateur astronomers visiting less explored places in search of the dark skies for stargazing in India.

As the cities expand and infrastructure strengthens, significant growth in air and light pollution is seen across the planet. When both combine, the visibility of stars from our city skies is reduced drastically. Places like Delhi and Mumbai have barely 10 stars visible in the night. You travel 100 KM outside of cities and suddenly there are hundreds of them visible. You travel to the mountains or remote locations and there are thousands of stars visible. Given the absolute requirement of dark skies some of the best places for stargazing in India are the mountains and forest reserve areas.

While this love of wilderness and star-studded skies are drawing a lot of people to places for stargazing in India, it is seen that proper guidance is required to channel this interest. Planetariums and regional science centers are working proactively on spreading the science and information about astronomy. A lot of webinars and conferences are taking place on virtual platforms which has enabled people to feel more connected and included in the community of stargazing India. With the right connections, the right information is now easily accessible than ever before. Also, since the programs are conducted online, either it is free to participate or at a very marginal expense which has also widened the outreach even to students which is an added reason for people to look up to the stars.

Amateur astronomers are now conducting a lot of science outreach programs where people are learning the skills of stargazing and Astrophotography. How a pair of binoculars can be a powerful tool to see Andromeda galaxy or The Great Nebula in Orion. How a simple DSLR camera which had been stored in the house for long can be a tool to take artistic pictures of the night sky and star trails.

Stargazers now have a huge support in terms of easy access to quality equipment. With many telescope manufacturers building networks in India, there is a good supply of high-end telescopes, lenses and other accessories. E-commerce platforms have made not just the equipment, but also the logistics affordable.

Astro Nomad Life has been conducting Astrophotography and stargazing sessions for the students and adults interested in exploring the cosmos. We organize starry nights with closed groups and help fellow amateurs connect with the community of stargazing in India. Learn the science and art of the Universe with us on one of our camps. For more information, click here