Asia’s largest 4-meter Liquid Mirror Telescope

India reaches new heights in astronomy with Asia’s largest 4-metre International Liquid Mirror Telescope inaugurated at Devasthal in Uttarakhand by Union Minister Dr Jitendra Singh.

In a major boost to Technology, India has achieved another feat. Asia’s largest 4-metre International Liquid Mirror Telescope (ILMT) has been inaugurated in Devasthal, Uttarakhand, by Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh. The telescope is located at an altitude of 2450 meters on the Devasthal Observatory campus of Aryabhatta Research Institute of Observational Sciences (ARIES) and is the first liquid mirror telescope designed exclusively for astronomical observations. With researchers from several countries collaborating on the project, the telescope’s scientific grade thin transparent film of mylar protects the mercury from wind, and the reflected light passes through a multi-lens optical corrector to produce sharp images over a wide field of view. The ILMT’s launch places India at a much higher level of capability in astronomy and allows for the exploration of the deep celestial sky.