Abstract:

The aim of the present lecture is to give a flavor of optical astronomy to the university students. This presentation begins with a general introduction of astronomy in general, followed by the importance of optical astronomy with a tour to astronomical facilities within India and around the globe. This talk will also provide the importance of a four-meter class telescope facility in the central Himalayan region. To this, a 3.6-m optical telescope was commissioned in the year 2016 at Devasthal, Nainital and another of 4.0-m diameter is in commissioning phase at the same place. Through this lecture, my aim is to introduce the graduate and postgraduate with astronomy and astrophysics, one of the fascinating area of physical sciences.

Brief Biography:-

• Jan, 2018 - Present Scientist ‘E’, ARIES, Nainital, India

• Jul, 2013 - Dec, 2017 Scientist ‘D’, ARIES, Nainital, India

• Jan, 2009 - Jul, 2013 Scientist ‘C’, ARIES, Nainital, India

• Jul, 2007 - Jan, 2009 Scientist ‘B’, ARIES, Nainital, India

• Jul, 2005 - Jun, 2007 Post-doctoral Fellow, IUCAA, Pune, India

• PhD Supervisors Prof. Ram Sagar (ARIES, Nainital, India)

• Prof. Peter Martinez (University of Capetown, South Africa)

• Jul, 1997 - Jul, 2000 Research Fellow, ARIES, Nainital, India

Observational Experience

I have participated in more than 50 successful observational proposals where more than 250 observing nights were awarded. Out of them, I was principal investigator in more than 20 observational proposals. For the successful implementations of the projects the astronomical observations for the various projects, are carried out from :

1. 0.5-m, 1.0-m, 1.4-m and 1.75-m telescopes at SAAO, South Africa.

2. 1.04-m telescope at ARIES, Nainital.

3. 1.3-m telescope at Devasthal operated by ARIES, Nainital.

4. 1.2-m Mercator telescope at Canary Islands, Spain.

5. 2.34-m Vainu Bappu Telescope at Kavalur Bangalore.

6. 2.0-m Himalayan Chandra Telescope (HCT) at Leh operated by IIA, Bangalore.

7. 2.0-m Girawali Observatory operated by IUCAA, Pune.

8. 2.56-m Nordic Optical Telescope (NOT) at La Palma jointly operated by Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Norway and Sweden.

9. 2.40-m telescope at the Thai National Observatory operated by National Astronomical Research, Institute (NARIT), Thailand.

10. 3.6-m Devasthal Optical Telescope (DOT) operated by ARIES, Nainital.

11. 6.0-m telescope at Special Astrophysical Observatory (SAO), Russia.

12. Giant Meter Radio Telescope (GMRT) at Pune operated by Tata Institute of Fundamental, Research (TIFR), Mumbai.