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Growing up in Buk-Shado hamlet of Ladakh’s Hanle, Rangdol Dorjey, 25, recalls spending several nights under the star-spangled astral skies in the early 2000s. Living his dream of becoming an astronomer, Rangdol is now a local celebrity who takes visitors on celestial journeys with his telescope.
“I used to see the telescope (at the local observatory) and dream of becoming an astronomer. Now, I know the names of many constellations and I am proud to be an astronomy ambassador,” Rangdol, a computer science engineer from Punjab Technical University, told The Indian Express recently.
In October 2022, 24 ambassadors from Hanle, including 18 women, were handpicked as astronomy ambassadors and trained in basic astronomy to boost India’s first-ever astronomy tourism promotion in Ladakh. Each of the ambassadors has been equipped with an 8-inch telescope. Astronomy tourism is a joint initiative by the Ladakh union territory administration and Bengaluru-based Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA).
In the week-long training course, the astronomy ambassadors were first shown celestial objects on a screen and also introduced to telescopes, including lens types, and how to operate and change lenses to adjust and focus.
Rangdol said, “First, we use the 10mm lens to locate the (celestial) object. Later, we use the 5mm lens to focus and for detailed observations, like the craters on the moon.”
Thereafter, they were taught how to view celestial objects in the field. Since celestial objects are best identified by the shape, position, brightness and direction in the sky on the day of observation, astronomy ambassadors mostly use the North Star and Capella — two of the known brightest stars — as a reference.
Astronomy ambassador Padma Ishey, 27, who is based in Hanle’s Punguk hamlet, said he had never touched a telescope before the training session. “During the session, we learnt about the Milky Way. We were also taught how to identify the Eagle Nebula and constellations by their shapes and positions in the sky. I was a bit scared to handle the telescope in the beginning, but I do it with ease now. Depending on the visibility, I can show visitors a variety of (celestial) objects on a given night,” he said.
Among objects that astronomy ambassadors show to visitors are galaxies (Milky Way and Andromeda), the Ring and Eagle Nebulae; the moon and its craters, and planets like Saturn, with its rings, and the brown-shaded Jupiter.
What is a Dark Sky Reserve?
The initiative comes close on the heels of a 22-km radius around Hanle being declared as India’s — also South-East Asia’s — first Dark Sky Reserve in September 2022. According to the International Dark Sky Association (earlier International Dark Sky Association), a United States-based non profit that works to preserve the night sky, Dark Sky Reserve is land that is legally protected for scientific, natural, educational, cultural, heritage and/or public enjoyment purposes.
Designating an area as a Dark Sky Reserve or a Dark Sky Park — Maharashtra’s Pench Tiger Reserve (PTR) was recently declared India’s first Dark Sky Park — is driven by the need to shield the night sky. Since a Dark Sky Reserve, which typically surrounds a park or observatory, limits light pollution, similar restrictions came into effect after the Hanle Dark Sky Reserve (HDSR) was notified in December 2022.
HDSR ensures that the development of astronomy tourism infrastructure and activities do not disrupt the habitat of indigenous flora and fauna. It spans six hamlets in Hanle — Bhok, Khuldo, Shado, Punguk, Naga and the Tibetan Refugee habitations located within the Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary — with a total population of around 2,000.
Hanle, which offers one of the most pristine, breathtaking and darkest night skies in the country, is no stranger to stars and galaxies. The IIA has been operating the Himalayan Chandra Telescope, a 2-metre optical-infrared telescope named after Indian-American Nobel laureate Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, at its Indian Astronomical Observatory (IAO) here since 2001. Operating from atop Mount Saraswati, at an altitude of 4,500 metres above mean sea level, the observatory has helped kindle an interest in astronomy among the local youth.
According to Annapurni Subramaniam, director, IIA, one of the key components of HDSR’s ongoing efforts is the educational outreach.
She said, “Collaborating with local schools and universities, the project aims to inspire the next generation of astronomers, conservationists and eco-conscious tourists. Through workshops, stargazing events and interactive sessions with astronomers, students and visitors gain hands-on experience, thereby fostering a deeper appreciation for the cosmos and the importance of preserving dark skies.”
The IIA director added, “By adopting eco-friendly practices and promoting awareness among visitors, the project aligns with the goals of ecotourism, offering a sustainable way to experience and appreciate the natural and astronomical wonders of the region.”
Efforts are underway to introduce Astronomy tourism in Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand and Lakshadweep, IIA officials said.
Starry, starry nights — on request
Having spent a bulk of his career in the remote and hostile locale of Hanle, Dorje Angchuk, 50, from Spituk village in Leh, has been the IIA’s engineer in-charge of the observatory since early 2008. “Visitors to Hanle would often seek permission to use the telescope for sky gazing but we would turn down such requests,” said Dorje, who has been integral to the promotion of astro tourism here.
Today, most of Hanle’s homestays — which increased to 30 from just four since the Covid-19 pandemic — offer star gazing sessions conducted by astronomy ambassadors for Rs 200 per tourist per hour. The best time to sky gaze in Hanle, locals said, is between mid-April and October.
Padma said homestay owners contact them directly to organise these sessions for visitors.
“Though many visitors are curious about stars and galaxies, some have specific requests to see the moon or Saturn or the Milky Way,” he said.
Astronomy ambassador Rangdol recalled a funny incident involving the sighting of the moon.
“It was a new moon day (when the moon is just a crescent) but the guest insisted on seeing moon,” he said.
IIA’s Dorje, said astronomy ambassadors initially mistook their engagement for a job. These locals are now involved in other tourism or entrepreneurial activities between November and March. For example, Padma is a nature trail guide who helps tourists with bird sightings in the sanctuary and a part-time tutor engaged in alternative learning for local schoolchildren, while Rangdol runs his own restaurant in Hanle.
Dorje said the development of astro tourism in Hanle was not easy, but his interactions with local village representatives helped. “I visited each village in Hanle personally to meet the chiefs and spread awareness about this initiative. The call for astronomy ambassadors was made through the village representatives and also radio, the most popular medium for dissemination of information here,” he said.
How locals are helping and gaining from astronomy tourism
Thanks to such efforts, Hanle held its first star party (where amateur astronomers observe the sky) and a week-long refresher course for astronomy ambassadors in June 2023. Even locals were roped in to help after the HDSR declaration to reduce light pollution. This included all vehicle users dimming their headlights upon entering HDSR, requesting local homes to use soft lights, and supplying homes in Hanle with thick window screens and curtains.
Ladakh has gained from HDSR, with astronomy tourism providing the local youths with means of livelihood in the union territory itself. “The declaration of the HDSR has come at the right time and at the right place for Ladakh. We hope to inspire the youth to stay back in Ladakh and ultimately work to preserve and protect our natural resource, the skies,” said Angchuk, an avid astrophotographer.
Ladakhis have always lived close to nature and preserved natural resources, including the sky and the stars. There are several local folklore associated with stars and galaxies that have been lost over generations, he said, adding that astronomy ambassadors have also been tasked with getting such lost folklore and documents from their grandparents.
“Until two generations ago, Ladakhis routinely observed stars and constellations whose shapes they would associate with local objects like door designs, spindles, etc., but these are nearly non-existent now. With help from astronomy ambassadors, we plan to preserve lost folklore and documents for future generations,” said Dorje.
