Thursday, September 23, 2010

India to Build Worlds Largest Solar Telescope

India is to build the world's largest solar telescope in the India-controlled Kashmir's cold desert region of Ladakh at an estimated cost of 31 million U.S. dollars, the Indian Institute of Astrophysics said Thursday.

"The solar telescope will help study the microscopic structure of the sun and derive specific observations that are speculative in nature," IIA Director Siraj Hasan told the Indo-Asian News Service.

Apart from IIA, the National Large Solar Telescope project involves the state-run Indian Space Research Organization and Tata Institute of Fundamental Research.

"The pre-technical discussion meeting will be held in October," Hasan said.

The proposed telescope, which will be used to observe the sun during the day, will need a location with long hours of clear sunshine and clean visible conditions.

The 10-meter optical telescope at Mauna Kea in Hawaii is currently the largest solar telescope in the world.

SOURCE

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