Latest news with #KodaikanalSolarObservatory
India Today
09-07-2025
- Science
- India Today
Space Station with Indian astronaut seen flying over India from Kodaikanal
In a rare celestial event, the International Space Station (ISS), carrying India's own astronaut Shubhanshu Shukla, was photographed as it soared across the skies above remarkable images were captured by scientists at the historic Kodaikanal Solar Observatory, nestled in the Palani Hills of Tamil Nadu. ISS seen flying over India as seen from Kodaikanal. (Photo: Chrisphin Karthick) advertisementThe Kodaikanal Solar Observatory, operated by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics since 1899, is renowned for its pioneering role in solar research and its century-long legacy of astronomical observation. On this occasion, the observatory's team turned their gaze from the Sun to the night sky, tracking the ISS as it made its high-speed pass over Indian territory. The ISS, orbiting Earth at an altitude of about 400 kilometers and travelling at 28,000 km/hr, appeared as a fast-moving, bright dot streaking across the Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla, the first Indian to reside on the ISS, continued his historic mission, conducting cutting-edge scientific research on behalf of Indian institutions. Capturing the ISS in flight is a technical feat, requiring precise timing and tracking. The observatory's location—at 2,343 meters above sea level—offers clear, dust-free skies ideal for such astronomical Chrisphin Karthick, a scientist at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, captured the images using his precisely time the shot, he used the ISS Detector mobile app, which provided accurate tracking and pass predictions. During the initial setup, he carefully selected the observation location to align with the ISS trajectory. For the photography, he used a camera setup with ISO 4000 sensitivity, a 2.2mm focal length, an aperture of f/2.2, and a shutter speed of 1/17 second—settings that allowed him to clearly capture the fast-moving space station in low light resulting images not only highlight the ISS's trajectory over India but also symbolise the growing connection between Indian science and global space exploration. Capturing the ISS in flight is a technical feat. (Photo: ) The event was met with excitement among astronomers and the public alike. The Kodaikanal Solar Observatory, already a jewel of Indian astrophysics, has added another achievement to its storied history by chronicling this national Shukla looks down on his homeland from orbit, the observatory's photographs remind millions across India to look up and celebrate the nation's stellar strides in space.- EndsTune InMust Watch
Time of India
16-05-2025
- Science
- Time of India
Stamp unveiled to mark 125 years of Indian Institute of Astrophysics' Kodaikanal solar observatory
Bengaluru: Honouring India's solar research legacy, the department of posts Friday released a commemorative stamp marking the 125th anniversary of Kodaikanal Solar Observatory , run by Bengaluru-headquartered Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA). The stamp was unveiled by former Isro chairman and IIA governing council chairperson AS Kiran Kumar, Karnataka chief post master general S Rajendra Kumar and IIA director Annapurni Subramaniam. The event highlighted the observatory's twin-domed structure. The right one houses a 6-inch telescope, first installed at Madras Observatory in 1850, remodelled in 1898, and relocated to Kodaikanal in 1900 by then director Michie Smith. The left dome's 8-inch telescope was shifted from Madras in 1930 and is now used for public outreach. "The stamp features a high-resolution H-alpha image of the Sun taken on May 6, 2024 at the observatory, along with an inset of 'butterfly diagram' on the logo, tracking sunspot activity from 1904 to 2020," IIA said in a release. "As a child, I collected stamps and first-day covers. Humanity has always strived to look beyond what the eye can see. Missions like Aditya-L1 continue the pursuit. IIA has upheld this legacy through its persistent solar observations. The 125 years of data collected by Kodaikanal Solar Observatory are invaluable for future astronomical research," Kiran Kumar said. — Sutapa Dey
The Hindu
16-05-2025
- Science
- The Hindu
Commemorative stamp on Kodaikanal Solar Observatory released
A postal stamp was released on Friday at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) by the Department of Posts to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the Kodaikanal Solar Observatory. Established on 1 April 1899, the Observatory has been a cradle of research in solar astrophysics ever since, with a number of path breaking discoveries to its credit. The quasquicentennial was celebrated for a year, starting from 1 April 2024, and it is a fitting tribute to this scientific institution that a stamp has been issued in its honour. A stamp commemorating this history and legacy of the Observatory was issued by A.S. Kiran Kumar, former ISRO Chairman and current chairperson of the Governing Council of IIA, and S. Rajendra Kumar, Chief Post Master General, Karnataka Circle. IIA said that the stamp prominently features the iconic historic building of the Kodaikanal Solar Observatory, which has two domes. The dome on the right hosts the 6-inch telescope which was installed at the Madras Observatory as early as 1850, remodelled in 1898, and installed at Kodaikanal in 1900 by the then Director, Michie Smith. The dome on the left hosts the 8-inch telescope that was installed at the Madras Observatory in 1866, and brought to Kodaikanal in 1930. This telescope is now used for public outreach for visitors. 'The stamp also features an H-alpha image of the Sun taken at the Kodaikanal Solar Observatory on 6 May 2024, as well as the IIA logo. In addition, a colourful inset in the stamp is the famous 'Butterfly Diagram', which is a plot of the solar latitude of sunspots versus year. This plot was generated using data taken from the Observatory between 1904 and 2020,' IIA said. The stamp will soon be available for purchase by stamp collector enthusiasts at the various Philately Bureaus across Karnataka.
