How does it feel to look up and see every inch of the night sky teeming with stars, nebulae and other deep sky objects? Or travel 2.5 million years back in time and observe our nearest galactic neighbor ‘Andromeda Galaxy’ with unaided eyes? Or see a 180-degree view of our Milky way galaxy span across the sky?
Well, a group of 24 astronomy expedition participants from Mango Education were lucky enough to witness these celestial wonders from Hanle, Ladakh.
Hanle is India’s first designated ‘dark sky reserve’, a place where you can literally see the night sky flooding with thousands of stars. The pristine, dark, Bortle 1 skies of Hanle make it a coveted destination for astronomy enthusiasts. Even though the trip itself was very challenging because of high altitude, the night sky made it all so worth it. Photons from distant galaxies, star clusters and nebulae were racing to reach our eyes, each waiting to tell their story. Looking at so many stars, one cannot help but ponder on the obvious question – “Are we truly alone?”
Day 1: Arrival at Leh
Leh airport is the highest commercial airport in India, and surrounded by the beautiful Himalayas. After reaching our hotel and taking rest, we went for a walk along the banks of River Indus. Our local guide explained the geology of the area and some history about the Himalayan mountain range. We also learnt that one can easily find marine rocks in this region, which proves that Himalayas were once underwater. After watching the sunset, we retreated to our rooms.
After dinner, came the highlight of the day – star gazing! As we stepped out of our hotel, the summer arm of Milky way was waiting to greet us. It was rising behind the majestic snow clad Himalayas and was in its full glory. What a breathtaking sight it was! The entire 180 degree of the Sagittarius arm was visible with stars packed closely like fine dust. We also saw different constellations and nebulae that are otherwise not visible from light polluted cities. Since Leh is at a latitude of 33 degrees North, the pole star (Polaris) was easily visible. We also saw some circumpolar stars (stars that never go below the horizon). Students also learnt how to image celestial objects using DSLR camera and smartphones.
Day 2: Visit to SECMOL school
It was an hour’s drive to SECMOL school. SECMOL, founded by Mr. Sonam Wangchuk is renowned for its unique teaching system, where the focus is more on nurturing the practical & social skills in students. For the unversed, the famous Rancho’s school in the Bollywood movie 3-idiots took inspiration from SECMOL. It was inspiring to learn about some of the self-sustainable methods adopted by the school.
After bidding goodbye to the students, it was time to go to Alchi monastery. The paintings were very rustic and a testament to that art that was done 1000 years back. The journey back to the hotel was very picturesque. The second day also concluded with a stargazing session. Who could miss the glorious milky way !
Day 3: Drive to Hanle
After the mandatory 48 hours acclimatization period, it was time to proceed to the higher slopes of Hanle. Hanle is a 5 hour drive from Leh, and situated at an altitude of around 15,000 feet above MSL. The drive itself was very picturesque, with the river Indus meandering all along the highway.
Although we were tired and exhausted beyond all levels, the pristine dark skies of Hanle beckoned us. Which means, it was time to setup our telescopes 🙂 We saw the Whirlpool galaxy, Bode & cigar galaxy and few other deep sky objects.
Day 4: Local sight-seeing in Hanle
Hanle is a cold, dry desert. A small village, inhabited by around 1500 people. It was 06-Jul, His Holiness The Dalai Lama’s birthday. The entire village was in a festive mood, it was truly exhilarating to see the celebrations. Local Ladakhi songs were playing with colorfully dressed dancers grooving to the music.
Day 5: D-Day!! Visit to HCT
It was the day I was literally waiting for. Hanle is home to Himalayan Chandra Telescope (HCT) which is one of the highest optical telescopes in the world. The telescope is situated 300 m on a hilltop. On entering the facility, we were greeted by their staff who graciously volunteered to give us an overview of the telescope. We then entered the main telescope facility where we learnt how the telescope works and how it is remotely controlled by Scientists from IIA, Bengaluru. It is a Newtonian reflecting telescope with a giant 2 m primary mirror and a secondary mirror to reflect the focused light into the telescope’s main computer bus. After visiting HCT, it was time to visit MACE gamma ray telescope which was just on the foothills of HCT. MACE enables scientists to study the high-energy gamma radiation present in the Universe.
Day 6: Visit to Tsomoriri lake
Tsomoriri is a high-altitude saltwater lake in the Changthang Plateau region. The lake is fed by melting glaciers and freezes over in winter. The wetland attracts many migratory birds and is known for endemic species such as bharal, kiang, and marmots. After a lake walk, it was time for some team bonding activities.
The night sky at Tsomoriri was just WOW!!!! It was a chilly, cloudless night. We could easily spot Andromeda galaxy. Seeing that fuzzy patch of cotton ball transported us 2.5 million years back in time. It was surely a surreal moment, one of the many wonders of Astronomy.
Day 7: Drive back to Leh
After a short visit to the monastery, we started our drive to Leh. We relished some local delicacies like Himalayan butter tea, momos, thukpas – they were simply amazing. Back at Leh, students had a reflection session to share their experiences.
Day 8: Local sight seeing at Leh
Started the day with a visit to Leh Palace. It is a 17th century palace overlooking the city of Leh. It is nine storeys high, the upper floors accommodated the royal family while the lower floors held stables and store rooms. Although much of the palace is in deteriorated condition, it is open to the public and provides great view of the city & its surrounding mountains.
We also visited the Leh market for the much awaited retail therapy.
Day 9: Time to go home !
With so many memories of the trip etched in our hearts, it was time to go home !
This expedition served as a perfect way to reflect and comprehend our place in this Universe, and appreciate the fragile, tiny blue dot that we call home. It was truly humbling to realize how ‘significantly’ insignificant we are in these vast realms of space. The rugged Himalayas, in their own way taught us simplicity, grit, perseverance and resilience. It will be a trip to be cherished for our lifetime!
