Abstract Details

Name: Padmakar Parihar
Affiliation: Indian Institute of Astrophysics Bangalore
Conference ID: ASI2021_485
Title : Creating a Large Optical-NIR Observing Facility in India: Challenges and Solutions
Authors and Co-Authors : Padmakar Parihar Indain Institute of Astrophysics, Bangalore 560034
Abstract Type : Invited
Abstract Category : Instrumentation and Techniques
Abstract : Having a large optical-NIR telescope on Indian soil is a long cherished dream of the Indian astronomers. The growing astronomical community and India’s participation in mega projects such as SKA, TMT, MSE and LSST further make a strong case for building a 10m class optical-NIR observing facility in India. Despite many attempts made over more than three decades, not much progress has happened toward building the large optical telescope. In this presentation I will provide a brief review of the efforts made in the past as well as on going activities. Indigenously building a 10m class telescope is indeed a big challenge. It not only require huge investment but we need large number of highly skilled scientists, engineers and technicians, strong industrial backing, professionally trained managers as well as R&D supports from various technological institutions. The success of the project lies on the capacity building exercise and a very serious and thoughtful efforts are needed on this front. The project of this scale and complexities also requires very active cooperation and the collaboration at national as well as international levels. I will briefly discuss the challenges as well as suggest possible solutions to over come the problems which we may face while building such a large telescope within the country.