After installing the C-11 telescope for amateur star gazers, the city-based B M Birla Science Centre is now planning to set up a more powerful research telescope for experts in the field.

Work on the location of the proposed research telescope, its funding and other related aspects are at a preliminary stage and the project is likely to become a reality in the next 3-4 years, B M Birla Science Centre Director General, Mr B.G. Sidharth, said.

“Birla Science Centre is working on setting up a research telescope. The work is at a primary stage and we have had an exchange of intent and also held preliminary rounds of talk with a French agency,” Mr Sidharth told PTI.

The research telescope will be a powerful one to facilitate experts to work on a variety of observational research projects. It would be installed at a far-off location away from the city, he said.

“We are working on this…but it will take at least next 3-4 years to set up the research telescope,” Mr Sidharth said.

Compared to the amateur telescope, the research telescope will be much more powerful and can be used by experts and space researchers to spot distant galaxies several ‘light years’ away, Mr Sidharth explained, adding there are few research telescopes at Nainital, Kodaikanal and Rangapur observatory in the country.

With a view to promote awareness in astronomy and science education, the Birla Science Centre, in collaboration with a France-based NGO ‘Uranoscope De France’, had set up the ‘G P Birla Observatory and Astronomical Research Centre’ that houses the C-11 telescope.

A series of lectures and new courses in astronomy have been launched at the science centre after the observatory was opened.

source: http://www.TheHinduBusinessLine.com / Industry & Economy> Government & Policy / by PTI / Hyderabad, December 14th, 2012