UDAIPUR SOLAR OBSERVATORY

USO (Udaipur Solar Observatory)

Udaipur Solar Observatory is considered as the best solar observing site in Asia. Situated on an island in the Fateh Sagar Lake, Solar Observatory  is among the few in the world that are sited on an island. Udaipur Solar Observatory was established by Dr. Arvind Bhatnagar under the Vedhashala Trust of Ahmedabad. The organization is basically affianced in Astrological activities. However, the observatory aspires to do research in modern science.




Udaipur Solar Observatory has become the perfect center to develop solar physics in India. Being surrounded by water, the island provides a favorable atmosphere for solar observations. As air turbulence is lesser on island then ground, sharp images of the sun can be acquired. Apart from this, other advantage of this observatory is that it is located in Rajasthan, which observes maximum number of cloudless days. All these factors add to quality of extracted images of the Sun.


The observatory comprises a range of telescopes that provide excellent quality of solar observations. The observatory is adding a new instrument by the name of 'Solar Vector Magnetograph' to its store-house. This instrument will play an important role in the future research program by determining the magnetic field of the active regions. It has been more than twenty-five years, since USO was established. The observatory has seen an entire solar cycle in the twenty-two years of its subsistence. Now, it is witnessing the next solar cycle.