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Astronomy and cosmology

Astronomy and cosmology: telescopes and observatories, stars, black holes and neutron stars, exoplanets, dark matter and dark energy, the Sun's cycle and space weather, eclipses, comets and asteroids. Prelims has asked about Cepheids, nebulae and pulsars, and about solar flares.

UPSC has asked

  • Prelims 2023: Cepheids, nebulae and pulsars

Showing 1 of 4 articles, those that changed from 1 to 31 July 2026.Show all

Indian Astronomical Observatory, Hanle

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Prelims

The Indian Astronomical Observatory at Hanle in Ladakh, at 4,517 metres, is run remotely from Bengaluru by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics and gives more than 250 usable nights a year with very little water vapour.

What changed

  1. 29 Jul 2026BriefThe 2 metre Himalayan Chandra Telescope at Hanle has completed 25 years. The budget has announced a 3.7 metre upgraded telescope and a 13.7 metre National Large Optical Infrared Telescope, both at Hanle. PIB, 29 Jul 2026: Celebrating 25 years of the Himalayan Chandra Telescope in Hanle (opens in a new tab)

See also: The Hanle Dark Sky Reserve

Also filed elsewhere

  • Space weather forecasting from Aditya-L1 · on Moon, Sun and planetary missions

    Space weather forecasting is the attempt to read the Sun's atmosphere for a sign of a solar flare hours before it erupts.

  • The Hanle Dark Sky Reserve · on Chemicals, noise, light and soil pollution

    The Hanle Dark Sky Reserve (HDSR) in Ladakh is India's first and only dark sky reserve, notified by Ladakh's administration in December 2022.

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