What is

            The Northern Lights, also known as the Aurora Borealis, are a natural light display that occurs in the Polar Regions, primarily in the Arctic and Antarctic. They are caused by the interaction between the Earth's magnetic field and charged particles from the sun, which are funnelled towards the poles. When these particles collide with gases in the Earth's atmosphere, such as oxygen and nitrogen, they release energy in the form of light. This creates the beautiful, colourful displays in the night sky, often seen in green, pink, purple, and red hues.

    The Northern Lights are most commonly visible in areas close to the magnetic pole, like northern Canada, Alaska, Scandinavia, and Russia. They're a stunning natural phenomenon! Have you ever seen them, or do you want to catch a glimpse someday?

    The Northern Lights (Aurora Borealis) happen when solar wind, which is a stream of charged particles released from the sun, reaches the Earth. These particles are made up of electrons and protons. When they collide with the gases in the Earth's atmosphere, such as oxygen and nitrogen, they excite these gas molecules, causing them to release photons of light. The colour of the light depends on the type of gas and its altitude:

• Green: This is the most common colour and is produced by oxygen molecules located about 60 to 150 miles above the Earth’s surface.
• Red: This colour appears at higher altitudes, typically above 150 miles, and is caused by oxygen molecules as well, but at much higher altitudes.
• Purple, blue, and pink: These are produced by nitrogen molecules, usually at lower altitudes.

The display typically happens in an oval-shaped region around the magnetic poles, known as the aurora oval. The phenomenon is stronger during solar maximum years when the sun is at the peak of its 11-year solar cycle, and solar activity is heightened.

The best places to witness the Northern Lights are in regions close to the magnetic poles, especially in winter when the nights are longest. Some of the best countries to catch the Northern Lights include:

• Norway (Tromsø, Lofoten Islands)
• Sweden (Abisko National Park)
• Finland (Rovaniemi)
• Iceland
• Canada (Yukon, Northwest Territories)
• Alaska (Fairbanks)

The auroras don’t happen every night, and their intensity can vary. Solar activity, the weather, and light pollution all play a role in how visible the lights are.

                            Starlink is a satellite constellation developed by SpaceX, a private aerospace manufacturer and space transport services company founded by Elon Musk. The Starlink constellation consists of thousands of small, low-Earth orbit (LEO) satellites designed to provide global internet connectivity.

                           The Starlink satellites are launched into space using SpaceX's Falcon 9 rockets and are intended to offer high-speed, low-latency internet services to remote and underserved communities worldwide. The constellation has grown to over 4,000 satellites, making it the largest satellite constellation in history.

                            Starlink aims to provide fast and reliable internet access, bridging the digital divide and connecting people in areas where traditional fiber-based internet infrastructure is lacking. The service has gained popularity among individuals, businesses, and organizations, including those in rural areas, maritime vessels, and even the military.

Some interesting facts about Starlink satellites:

1.      Each satellite weighs about 227 kg (500 lbs).

2.      They are designed to de-orbit and burn up in the atmosphere at the end of their lifespan.

3.      Starlink satellites use lasers to communicate with each other and with ground stations.

4.      The constellation can provide internet speeds of up to 1 Gbps (1,000 Mbps).

Some advantages and disadvantages of Starlink satellite internet service :

Advantages:

1.      Faster internet speed compared to traditional satellite internet.

2.      Excellent portability.

3.      Connectivity in remote regions.

4.      Faster than other satellite internet providers.

5.      Less latency.

6.      Environmentally friendly.

Disadvantages:

1.      Hardware installation could be a problem for many users.

2.      Service may be disrupted during bad weather.

3.      Small coverage area.

4.      Dependence on large numbers of low-orbiting satellites causes significant disruption to astronomical   achievements.

5.     Threat to the atmosphere.

6.     Threat to investors

* Data collected from Net 

Objective:

1.  Astronomy.

2.  Solar physics.

3.  Astrophysics.

4.  Atmospheric science.

Location:

Manora Peak (elevation 1,951 m or 6,401 ft), about 9 kilometers (5.6 mi) from Nainital, capital of Kumaon District, India.

Nainital is situated at a high height in the focal Himalayas and away from urban communities or other significant contamination sources. This makes it reasonable for doing perceptions on foundation conditions and for concentrating on the local climate, especially connections among regular and anthropogenic follow species and environmental change. Moreover, the ARIES site can likewise give data on lengthy reach transport of pollutants. Concentrates on lower air elements are additionally vital around here, which is seriously missing over northern India

Facilities:

1.      3.6m Devasthal Optical Telescope

2.       1.3m Devasthal Optical Telescope

3.      104 cm Sampurnanand Telescope

4.      Solar Telescope

5.      4m International Liquid Mirror Telescope (ILMT)

6.      Baker-Nunn Schmidt Telescope (BNST)

7.      Stratosphere Troposphere Radar

         The 3.6m Devasthal  Optical Telescope is a clear-aperture Ritchey- Chretien built by  ARIES. The 3.6m DOT is currently the largest reflecting telescope in Asia. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Belgian Prime Minister Charles Michel remotely activate the Aries telescope from Brussels on 30 March 2016.