Kolkata’s ‘largest handmade telescope’ inaugurated

 

 

A GROUP of scientists and optical observers from two organisations in Kolkata have come together to create a telescope, described as the largest in the city. The 14.5-inch f/5 Dobsonian telescope was inaugurated during the day in north Kolkata’s Shyambazar area, one of the key persons behind the project said. “It is the largest handmade telescope in the city. It embodies both craftsmanship and scientific ambition. The core of this telescope is its large parabolic primary mirror, which was painstakingly hand-ground and shaped in Kolkata,” said Dr Sudipta Sasmal, co-founder and associate professor of IASES.

 

A collaboration between the Observational Astronomy Centre (OAC) and the Institute of Astronomy Space and Earth Science (IASES), the device will be used for the study of bright variable stars, the follow-up observation of transient astronomical phenomena such as novae or supernovae, and detailed planetary observations, he said. The glass blank of the telescope’s mirror was sourced from a ship porthole salvaged from the Kandala shipyard, Sasmal said. After the initial grinding and shaping, the mirror underwent fine polishing and aluminisation in Delhi to achieve the high-quality optical surface required for precise astronomical observations, he said.

 

The telescope was set up on the rooftop of the residence of Biswajit Bose, a member of the OAC. Bose said India has a rich legacy of scientific ingenuity, particularly among its grassroots researchers who, despite limited resources, have consistently discovered innovative ways to pursue cutting-edge science. The organisers want to attract people especially students and sky-lovers in and around the city to witness various celestial events. Despite light pollution in the city, Bose claimed that his team captured good-quality astrophotography using the telescope. The telescope was inaugurated by IASES President Prof Dhrubajyoti Chattopadhyay and IAS officer Abhijit Mukhopadhyay.