Astronomy at an altitude

Villagers from the northern Indian state of Ladakh stand proudly in front of a sign welcoming tourists to the first Astro HomeStay or AstroStay in the region. At 4276 metres above sea level, the village is one of the best locations for stargazing. Villagers trained in basic astronomy and telescope operations act as night sky guides, attracting tourists to an otherwise remote location not on the tourism map, thus bringing in much needed revenue to the community. The project was supported by the IAU OAD through its Annual Call for Proposals.

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