KODAIKANAL
SOLAR OBSERVATORY - SCI & TECH
News:
125 years of Kodaikanal
Solar Observatory: How the Great Drought of 1876 led to its establishment
What's
in the news?
●
The Madras Observatory was merged with the
KoSO following the reorganisation of all Indian observatories on April 1, 1899.
Key
takeaways:
●
The hilltop observatory helped in making
some key scientific discoveries over the years.
Kodaikanal
Solar Observatory (KoSO):
●
It is a solar observatory owned and
operated by the Indian Institute of
Astrophysics.
Backdrop:
●
The concept of an Indian solar observatory
began in the late 19th century, and the government approved the establishment
of the Solar Physics Observatory in Kodaikanal in August 1893.
Location:
●
Kodaikanal in the Palani hills of Tamil Nadu was picked for the observatory because
of its good atmospheric conditions, based on surveys by Charles Michie Smith (a
Professor of Physics at the Madras Christian College).
Foundation:
●
Lord Wenlock, the Governor of Madras at
the time, laid the foundation stone for KoSO in 1895.
●
Systematic observations at KoSO commenced
on March 14, 1901.
Instruments
at KoSO:
●
Initially, KoSO had telescopes to study sunspots, prominences, and solar
radiation.
●
Now, it has advanced instruments like the
H-alpha telescope and the White Light Active Region Monitor (WARM) for high solar imaging.
Need
for Observatory:
1.
Great Drought of 1875-1877:
●
The event, caused by low rainfall,
highlighted the need for thorough solar studies to understand its effects on
weather patterns.
2.
India’s Geographical Significance:
●
India’s drought was part of a broader
global issue, impacting multiple countries and resulting in widespread famine.
Significance
of KoSo:
●
Archives:
KSO has one of the world’s most comprehensive solar data archives, with daily
images of the sun dating back over a century.
●
Digitization
Project: An ongoing project aims to digitize and preserve the
observatory’s vast collection of solar observations, ensuring their
availability for future research.