Daily Current Affairs : 29-July-2024

India’s first fully robotic telescope, the GROWTH-India telescope, has achieved a significant milestone by capturing an asteroid the size of a building as it approached Earth. Situated at the Indian Astronomical Observatory in Ladakh, this telescope has played an important role in advancing research in space observation.

Collaboration Between Institutes

The GROWTH-India telescope is the product of a collaboration between two leading institutions: IIT Bombay and the Indian Institute of Astrophysics. This partnership is focused on boosting space exploration and astronomy in India. The telescope is part of the larger GROWTH initiative, which stands for Global Relay of Observatories Watching Transients Happen. This initiative is dedicated to tracking and studying rapidly changing objects in space.

Features of the GROWTH-India Telescope

The GROWTH-India telescope specializes in time-domain astronomy, which involves studying objects that change or vary in brightness over time, such as asteroids, comets, and stars. Its 0.7-meter wide-field capability allows it to capture large portions of the sky at once. The telescope excels at tracking fast-moving objects, such as asteroids, and capturing high-resolution images of these objects as they move across the sky.

  • The telescope’s advanced technology allows it to track the asteroid’s movement with high precision.
  • As the asteroid moved through space, the background stars appeared as streaks in the images.

Significance of the Discovery

The ability of the GROWTH-India telescope to capture large objects in motion highlights the progress India has made in space research. This discovery is significant not only for Indian science but also for the global community’s efforts in asteroid tracking and space exploration. The telescope’s role in monitoring transient events in space adds to India’s growing importance in the field of astronomy.

Funding and Support

The GROWTH-India project is funded by India’s Department of Science and Technology (DST) through the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), along with support from the National Science Foundation (NSF). These funding agencies are helping to strengthen India’s position in global space research and exploration.

Important Points:

  • GROWTH-India Telescope is India’s first fully robotic telescope, located at the Indian Astronomical Observatory in Ladakh.
  • It successfully captured an asteroid the size of a building as it approached Earth.
  • The telescope is a collaboration between IIT Bombay and the Indian Institute of Astrophysics.
  • Part of the GROWTH initiative, which stands for Global Relay of Observatories Watching Transients Happen.
  • The telescope specializes in time-domain astronomy, focusing on objects that change or vary in brightness, like asteroids, comets, and stars.
  • 0.7-meter wide-field capability allows the telescope to capture large portions of the sky at once.
  • It tracks fast-moving objects with high precision, capturing high-resolution images of asteroids and other transient space phenomena.
  • As the asteroid moved, background stars appeared as streaks in the telescope’s images.
  • The project is funded by India’s Department of Science and Technology (DST) through the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), along with support from the National Science Foundation (NSF).
  • The GROWTH-India telescope strengthens India’s role in global space research and asteroid tracking.

Why In News

India’s first fully robotic telescope, the GROWTH-India telescope, located at the Indian Astronomical Observatory in Ladakh, made a significant breakthrough by capturing a building-sized asteroid as it approached Earth, showcasing India’s growing capabilities in space observation and asteroid tracking.

MCQs about GROWTH-India:India’s Breakthrough in Robotic Asteroid Tracking

  1. Where is India’s first fully robotic telescope, GROWTH-India, located?
    A. Bangalore
    B. Ladakh
    C. Mumbai
    D. Chennai
    Correct Answer: B. Ladakh
    Explanation: The GROWTH-India telescope is located at the Indian Astronomical Observatory in Ladakh, India. This telescope is India’s first fully robotic telescope and plays a key role in space observation.
  2. Which two institutions collaborated to develop the GROWTH-India telescope?
    A. IIT Bombay and ISRO
    B. IIT Bombay and Indian Institute of Astrophysics
    C. IISc Bangalore and Indian Institute of Astrophysics
    D. IIT Madras and ISRO
    Correct Answer: B. IIT Bombay and Indian Institute of Astrophysics
    Explanation: The GROWTH-India telescope is the result of a collaboration between IIT Bombay and the Indian Institute of Astrophysics. Together, they developed this advanced robotic telescope for time-domain astronomy.
  3. What is the primary focus of the GROWTH-India telescope?
    A. Studying black holes
    B. Observing solar flares
    C. Time-domain astronomy
    D. Mapping planetary atmospheres
    Correct Answer: C. Time-domain astronomy
    Explanation: The GROWTH-India telescope specializes in time-domain astronomy, which involves studying objects that change in brightness over time, such as asteroids, comets, and stars.
  4. Which funding bodies support the GROWTH-India telescope project?
    A. NASA and ESA
    B. Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO)
    C. Department of Science and Technology (DST) and National Science Foundation (NSF)
    D. Ministry of Defence and Indian Meteorological Department
    Correct Answer: C. Department of Science and Technology (DST) and National Science Foundation (NSF)
    Explanation: The GROWTH-India telescope project is funded by India’s Department of Science and Technology (DST) through the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), along with support from the National Science Foundation (NSF).

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