Aren’t we all a bit ‘star-struck’ by the ones dazzling in the sky?
We run to distant places to catch a glimpse of the Milky Way and the ones beyond the reach of our naked eyes! And Uttarakhand Tourism just brought the cosmos to us – Astrophotography in Mussoorie.
The Uttarakhand Tourism Development Board partnered with Starscapes, an Astro-Tourism company to launch Nakshatra Sabha, an initiative that will offer comprehensive Astro-Tourism Experience.
Uttarakhand never disappoints – from its unique forest cover to nature-based walking trails, access to major cities and a growing hospitality industry that includes homestays which are home away from home; all this makes it an ideal location to promote Astro tourists from around the world.
Who are the Starscapes?
With a focus that aren’t ‘grounded’, and goals that are ‘limitless’, this Gurugram-based company provides an immersive astronomy experience in India. India’s first platform focused on ‘delivering an integrated astronomy experience’, Starscapes was founded by Paul Savio and Ramashish Ray and they even have professional equipment for observation, astrophotography and research projects.
When will Nakshatra Sabha start?
The first session of astrophotography in Mussoorie was organized from 31st of May till 2nd of June. Subsequent sessions will be held until mid-2025.
What are the goals behind promoting Astro-Tourism?
- To boost local economy and advocate for preservation of night skies.
- Provide opportunities for stargazing and promote places for stargazing like Uttarkashi, Pithoragarh, Nainital, and Chamoli.
- Foster the need to preserve the night sky and create awareness surrounding it.
- What is preservation of night sky?
Preservation of the night sky refers to the conservation of natural darkness in the nocturnal setting by minimizing light pollution that includes protection and clarity if stars, planets and other celestial objects along with maintaining balance of the nocturnal eco-system which can be achieved by curtailing anthropogenic influence and toxicity – in other words ‘light pollution’.
By the virtue of preserving the night skies, we not only safeguard the beauty of the cosmos but also enhance the health and behavior of nocturnal animals, conserve energy, and foster sustainable tourism and human well-being.
The word of the hour has been ‘sustainable’ for quite some time and may seem to some as being overused, but we do need to understand the minute details of how we can achieve that. While lessons on sustainable means to protect land and sea have been documented before but our skies still remain a mystery – and this gap is being bridged by Starscapes.
Time to aim for the stars with your ‘sustainable’ glasses on!
Check out upcoming sessions of Nakshatra Sabha here
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