X-Nico

3 unusual facts about Indian Institute of Astrophysics


8348 Bhattacharyya

It is named after Jagadish Chandra Bhattacharyya, an Indian astronomer and director of the Indian Institute of Astrophysics.

Indian Institute of Astrophysics

The Institute has a network of laboratories and observatories located in various places in India, including Kodaikanal (the Kodaikanal Solar Observatory), Kavalur (the Vainu Bappu Observatory), Gauribidanur, Hanle (the Indian Astronomical Observatory) and Hosakote.

The origin of the Indian Institute of Astrophysics can be traced to a private observatory established by William Petrie (died: 1816), an officer of the East India Company.


National Large Solar Telescope

The Indian Institute of Astrophysics is the nodal agency charged with various scientific bodies like the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational-Sciences, Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) and Inter-University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics (IUCAA) also participating.

Vainu Bappu Observatory

While the Vainu Bappu Observatory is one of the field stations of the Bangalore based Indian Institute of Astrophysics, which is primarily devoted to research activities using the optical telescopes, the other field stations at the Kodaikanal Solar Observatory and at Gauribidanur are equipped for solar observations and radio astronomy programmes respectively.


see also