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Asia’s biggest telescope MAST inaugurated at Udaipur Solar Observatory in Rajasthan

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Multi-Application Solar Telescope (MAST), Asia’s biggest telescope has been inaugurated at the Udaipur Solar Observatory in Rajasthan by the chairman of counselling management of Physical Research Laboratory Professor U.R Rao.

On the occasion, Rao informed that MAST will be the biggest ever telescope which can help to study the movements of stars and sun even in the day time.

Facts about MAST:

  • The project was under Union Ministry of Science and Technology and was funded by Department of Space (DoS).
  • The site will help provide the optimum temperature for the lens and also decreases the turbulence in the air mass. Considering the amount of magnification involved, lesser turbulence will result in improved image quality.
  • The telescope’s main motive is to capture high resolution 3D images of the Sun’s surface and observing phenomena like solar flares. It will also be used to study seismic effects of solar flares.
  • MAST was designed in 2004 and its optical elements were fitted in 2008. In 2013, it was installed at the Udaipur Solar Observatory.
  • The telescope will be capable of capturing high resolution images even during the daytime which includes images of planetary movements besides the sun’s surface.
  • The lens used in the telescope is based on the optical and mechanical system of Belgium.
  • The rear part of the telescope was built by ISRO and the front part was developed by the observatory itself.