Calicut University Observatory to get a facelift

KOZHIKODE: When the Calicut University Observatory was launched in 2005, it was the first of its kind in any university in the state. However, the observ-atory named after the legendary astronomer Madhava was only used for research by university students and scholars due to its space constraints and lack of other facilities.

As part of the policy to renovate the existing facilities in the campus, Calicut University is planning a facelift of the observatory for the use students and science buffs from outside the campus too. The university is planning to introduce solar observation here in order to make observation possible during day time and also to encourage studies on the sun.

“We are also planning to connect the telescope to the seminar hall in the observatory so that we can convert the observation into a public activity,” said university physics department assistant professor Dr C.D. Ravi Kumar, who is in charge of the Facility.

Set up in association with the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Beng-aluru, it is the largest at the university level in the country. The 6.6 diameter hemispherical steel dome of the observatory was designed by the IIA.

Apart from a main roof with a 1.75 m slit opening, the dome has a wheel assembly, and is a state-of-art facility. A 14-inch MEADE (cassegrain) telescope is the main attraction of this observatory, that also has a dedicated computer facility with a server and four nodes for data collection, analysis.
 
Speaking to Deccan Chronicle, Calicut University Vice Chancellor Dr K. Mohammed Basheer said that the University was giving priority to improving the academic quality and public engagement by improving the existing facilities in the campus.

"We are planning a number of projects to revive such facilities and the Observatory is one among them. We are already in talks with experts on how we can better equip the facility for this purpose," he added.