Srinagar to open observatory with advanced 14

The National Institute of Technology (NIT) here is set to become the country's first NIT to have a dedicated campus-based observatory equipped with a high-performance 14-inch aplanatic Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope, officials said on Monday.

The telescope provides aberration-free flat-field images for advanced astrophotography and planetary observation. The Observatory for Astronomy and Astrophysics (NSOAA) will be inaugurated on Tuesday, marking a significant milestone in science education and research, they said.

"The facility will bring advanced observational astronomy to the campus and create a new platform for students, researchers and the wider community to engage directly with the night sky," an NIT-Srinagar spokesperson said.

The centrepiece of the observatory is a 14-inch Celestron C14 EdgeHD Schmidt-Cassegrain telescope, equipped with a computerised equatorial mount and supported by specialised astronomical imaging equipment, he said.