Udaipur is variously referred to as the city of lakes and city of dawn. It is also touted to be the Venice of the East. All these titles are justified very well if one looks at the setting of the city. Strewn with fascinating and imposing palaces, lakes, temples, gardens and narrow lanes, Udaipur truly enamors travelers with varying tastes and makes sure that everyone enjoys wonderful sojourn in the city. However if you are looking for one such spot where you can acquire some scientific knowledge and satisfy your intellectual needs then Udaipur Solar Observatory in Udaipur is an ideal spot to take note of.
The Udaipur’s Solar Observatory is counted among those few in the world that are located on an island. Also addressed as USO sometimes it uses a vast assortment of high quality telescopes that help in solar observations. It definitely enjoys a top position among all the Museums and Galleries in Rajasthan.
History of Udaipur Solar Observatory, Udaipur
According to historical records Udaipur Solar Observatory in Udaipur is modeled on the Solar Observatory at Big Bear Lake in Southern California. It was created by Dr. Arvind Bhatanagar. Not only this, since 1981 it is run by the Physical Research Laboratory, Ahmedabad, for the Department of Space, Government of India.
Description of Udaipur Solar Observatory, Udaipur
The Udaipur’s Solar Observatory enjoys a unique location sitting on an island in the Fatehsagar Lake. It is among the few highly esteemed observatories in the world that are located on islands. It is said that as the observatory is established in the middle of the large mass of water so the disturbance that might occur in the air due to ground heating by sun rays is decreased in its intensity. It indeed enhances the quality of the image and seeing.
The Udaipur Solar Observatory in Udaipur uses a vast variety of high quality telescopes that help in solar observations. Some of the solar observations that are carried out here include magnetic field, spectral, and velocity observations for studies relating to solar flares, mass ejections, and the evolution of solar active regions.
The Udaipur’s Solar Observatory is also famous for patching the long gap between Australia and Spain. It acts as a channel for uninterrupted solar coverage in many international joint programs comprising of the Global Oscillations Network Group (GONG).
