As an astronomer, I have always believed that the most important instrument we have isn't the telescope—it’s the location.
This week, we, the ASTRO Team, travelled to the remote areas of the Mulugu district—Govindaraopet, Pasra, and Narlapur—to witness the Geminids Meteor Shower, often referred to as the "King of Meteor Showers." Leaving the city lights behind, We found something that is becoming dangerously rare: true darkness.
Under the pristine skies of Pasra, the universe didn't just appear; it performed.
🌌We watched Orion the Hunter dominate the winter sky, its nebula glowing faintly even to the naked eye.
🌌We saw the Seven Sisters (Pleiades) cluster shining like a diamond brooch, accompanied by the swift, silent streak of a meteor cutting through the atmosphere.
🪐From the bright beacon of Jupiter to the faint stellar nurseries, the clarity of the Mulugu sky allowed for a depth of field that no city observatory can match.
The Realisation:
Standing there in the silence of Narlapur, We realised that Mulugu is a celestial heritage site. The darkness here is a natural resource, just as the forests and the water are. It enables us to connect with our oldest ancestors—the stars.
As we develop our infrastructure, we must protect these "Dark Sky Islands."
Once the lights dominate, we lose the window to the cosmos forever.