Evolution of Research in Different Astronomies in India
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Indian Journal of Radio & Space Physics Vol. 15, October & December 1986, pp. 375-380 Evolution of Research in Different Astronomies in India J C BHATTACHARYYA Indian Institute of Astrophysics. Bangalore 560034 The evolution of astronomical studies is reviewed with special reference to important achievements on Indian soil since the introduction of telescopic observations in the early seventeenth century. Important activities in nineteenth and early twentieth century in theoretical and observational astronomy have been covered. The growth of non-optical methods of observations and their applications by scientists in India have been briefly described. The paper also summarizes the present state of astronomical research in the country. Astronomy is a very old science. In fact it arose from a (ii) Angular magnification and resolution. It enabled series·ofthe oldest questions that the human mind was astronomers to see many more faint objects and to confronted with in trying to understand Nature. The study brighter objects in detail-a feat which was not incisive logical thinking to understand the seasonal possible with the older instruments. Optical telescopes changes of the sun, the waxing and waning phases of were first used on the Indian soil a few decades earlier the moon, the regular pattern of movements of the to the magnificent endeavour of Jai Singh. Earliest planets, the nature of the star-studded deep dark skies, reference dates back to 1689 when Father Richaud, a has been helpful in building up the edifice of present Jesuit Priest at Pondicherry, discovered a comet knowledge in the field. through a telescope. He also discovered that the India has been a seat oflearning over the ages. Along southern bright star, alpha-centauri, was in fact a with other branches of natural philosophy, pondering double star. over the science of celestial objects had engaged the Chronologically the next important event describes attention of our ancient sages. In this paper, instead of th~ use of a small optical telescope by William Petrie, tracing the ancient history, including the golden age of an East India Company official, for the determination Indian science between the fifth and twelfth century of latitude and longitude of a few places in Southern A.D., I shall deal only with the happenings in more India in 1786. Three years later Madras Observatory recent times; starting with the introduction of new was established by the East India Company with the techniques in astronomy which came from Europe. same set of instruments donated by Mr Petrie. A Introduction of telescopes, in fact, overlapped with proper observatory building came up in 1792; from the older methods of observation in India. A then onwards regular records of observations in the magnificent example of old instrumentation can be form of Annual Reports of Madras Observatory are seen in the heart of our present day capital city of New carefully preserved. Delhi. Jantar Mantar, as it is popularly known, is one Scientists at the observatory achieved several of the five observatories set up by Raja Sawai Jai Singh important discoveries during the next hundred years. of Jaipur. The entire structure and instrumentation is Mention may be made of compilation of a star atlas by of brick masonry, the angular accuracy of position Taylor and discovery of five asteroids and variable determination resting solely on the enormity of their nature of several stars by Pogson. It was also during dimensions. But the principle of optical imaging this period when Chintamani Raghunathachary discovered the variable nature of the star RR Reticuli. rendered such huge structures unnecessary; better accuracies were possible with telescopes of much He appears to be the first Indian astronomer on record smaller dimensions. Thus the huge instruments of Jai to publish a scientific paper on astronomy using modern instruments. Singh's observatory became obsolete as a result of development of science. Three more observatories at Lucknow, Poona and· Besides providing more accurate positional Trivandrum were also functioning during the measures, the optical telescopes provided two distinct nineteenth century. They also employed current types advantages, viz. (i) Intensification of the images, and of equipment prevalent at that time. Lucknow 375 INDIAN J RADIO & SPACE PHYS, VOL. 15, OCTOBER & DECEMBER 1986 observatory was patronized by the Nawab of Oudh is a memorable one and is often referred t.oas the event and functioned under the directorship of Wilcox. The heralding the birth of the subject of astrophysics, observat.ory, h.owever,was cl.oseddawn after the death because, during this eclipse tw.o teams l.ocated at tw.o .of Wilc.ox in 1849, and the astr.on.omical activities places in present day Andhra Pradesh disc.overed a c.ould n.ot be revived. Trivadrum .observat.ory was yell.owline in the chr.om.ospheric spectra which c.ould similarly patronized by the Maharaja .of Travanc.ore• n.ot be due t.o any kn.own element. Sir N.orman C.ochin and was started in 1837. Broun wh.o was in L.ockyear named this as Helium-the element .on the charge maintained the basic activities, but his pers.onal sun. It was years later when this was disc.overed by interest was in ge.omagnetism. His main disc.overy is Ramsay .onthe earth as a decay pr.oduct.of radi.oactive n.ow hailed as .one .of the fundamental principles .of elements. This was the first instance when inf.ormati.on ge.omagnetism, that magnetic disturbances .on earth ab.out physical c.onditi.ons .on an inaccessible celestial are n.ot l.ocalized but are w.orldwide phen.omena. This s.ourcec.ouldbe .obtained. This abservati.on had set the .observat.ory has, till t.oday, remained in a d.ormant trend far .observati.ons in future eclipses. farm with sp.oradic attempts t.o revive the activities The 1871 eclipse was als.o fruitful when the from time t.o time. celebrated French astron.omer Jansen disc.overed what The .observat.ory in P.o.oua was less f.ortunate in is knawn as the F-c.orona. The 1898 eclipse is having a s.ource .of similar regular financial supp.ort. mem.orable .on tw.o c.ounts: it was during this eclipse The guiding farce behind the activities was Prof. that a British team .obtained the first ultravi.olet Kawasji Naegamvala, a Profess.or .of Physics at the extensian .of chram.ospheric spectra. Jahn Evershed, Elphinst.one C.ollege in B.ombay, wh.o used t.o c.ollect wha was a member .of the team, had his first visit ta d.onati.ons t.o run the .observat.ory. One .of the chief India, where later, he was t.oplaya very imp.ortant role d.on.orswas Maharaja Takhtsinghji .ofBhavnagar wh.o in astronamical achievements. Sec.ondly,it was during c.ontributed the nucleus .ofa fund fr.om which a 20-in this eclipse when Naegamvala successfully .organized reflect.or telesc.opewas purchased and installed. After setting up.of an abservati.on camp and .obtained results the death .of Naegamvala, the s.ource .of funding .of imp.ortance. This was perhaps the first c.ompletely c.ompletely dried up and the .observat.ory was cl.osed independent Indian eff.ort far an eclipse expediti.on. dawn in 1912. The 20-in telescape was sent ta The dawn .ofthe twentieth century in India saw same K.odaikanal, where it lay packed in baxes, until Dr new activities in the field .of astronamica1 in• A.K. Das set it up in the early fifties. Then, this became vestigati.ons. Tw.o new abservataries, .one at the largest .operati.onal.optical telescape in the c.ountry, Kadaikanal an a 8000 ft high peak near Madurai and and was used in the Internatianal Mars Observati.onal the secand .one at Begumpet, in the .outskirts .of the Pr.ogram 1954-55. After M.K. Vainu Bappu t.oak .o,ver twin city .of Hyderabad-Secunderabad, were estab• charge .of the abservat.ory, he made maj.or lished. First impartant results came from Kadaikanal, m.odificati.onsin its f.ocal plane instrumentatian, and where Jahn Evershed discavered a very impartant put this inta regular .observati.onal pr.ogrammes. Twa feature .of salar physics. In 1909, from precise .of his students gat their dact.orate thraugh spectroscapic investigatians he discavered a syste• .observati.onalmaterial callected by this telescape. Still matic flaw .of material around sunspats. This is the later, Kadaikanal Observat.ory was transfarmed inta fam.ous "Evershed Effect", which has engaged the an autanamaus research institute, and a new attentian .ofscientists since that time, and which later abservatary was established at Kavalur, where this has develaped inta the subject .ofsalar magnetahydro• telesc.ope was shifted. Its impartance at Kavalur, dynamics .of taday. hawever, was avershadawed by larger telescapes Nizamiah Observatary at Begumpet, after its which were installed subsequently. At the present establishment, entered inta an internatianal pro• mament, this telescape has been installed at Lch, in the gramme in pasitianal astranamy abservatians. The Laddakh regian .of Kashmir, where a temparary abservatary jained the ''Carte du Ciel" programme .of abservatary has been set up ta assess the suitability .of mapping part .ofthe celestial sphere. The abservatary this place far a future high altitude astranamical prepared a catalague .of 800000 stars, listing their statian. accurate pasitians and magnitudes, which has proved Bef.oreI mave aver ta the narratian .ofmuch mare invaluable in astronamical investigatians .of taday. camprehensive astr.onamical activities .of the present Very .oftenwe hear .ofnew saurces in radia, infrared .or century, I must mentian three impartant salar eclipses ultravialet regians discavered by madern techniques whase paths .of tatality crossed aver India in the later which are ultimately tied dawn ta same faint stellar half .of the nineteenth century.