Hyderabad-based Dr Rohit Bhojaraj decided to make a detour to Bhimtal, a town in Uttarakhand during a trip to Jim Corbett National Park—the former is a two-hour drive from the Park—for a family vacation in December last year. This was planned so Bhojaraj and his family could pay a visit to the Starscapes Observatory, which is located at a 3km distance from Bhimtal Lake. Even though he owned a telescope, the 49-year-old healthcare professional had never caught a clear glimpse of the planets. However, that night, the family of four witnessed the night sky in a way they had never before. Recalling it as a “fascinating” experience, Bhojaraj shares, “Living in the city, we never really pay attention to the sky, that night we did.” This family trip—with his wife (45) and two children (18 and 14)—continues to be memorable as they “saw Saturn with the rings for the first time in our lives.”
The cosmos and its many celestial bodies have forever been of considerable interest for people across the world. The stellar sky that houses several elements, however, has been a difficult (and expensive) territory to map and explore. Starscapes is on a mission to change that. The Gurugram-based organisation—co-founded by Ramashish Ray and Paul Savio in 2019—seeks to provide astronomical experiences to people. With a series of public observatories spread across the country—Bhimtal and Kausani in Uttarakhand; Ooty, Tamil Nadu; Jaipur, Rajasthan; and soon in Coorg, Karnataka—the organisation curates live experiences for people who want to explore the sky and know more about the elements that together make the cosmos the mystery it is.
Connecting passion with purpose
Gurugram-resident Ray (50) and Savio (36) from Bengaluru launched Starscapes because of their mutual passion for astronomy. “At an amateur level I always had an interest in space. Just like most kids, I was fascinated with the stars,” shares Savio, who has previously worked in the telecommunications sector. Ray gives us an insight on why he launched this venture by sharing accounts of his childhood, “I still remember those nights when the entire family would sleep on the roof, under the stars. I could not provide the same experience to my daughter—we live in a condominium in Gurugram”. While the first observatory was set up in Kausani in 2015, the duo later expanded—Savio joined the company in the capacity of a CEO in 2019.
The space offers an array of shows and interactive experiences—starting price is `500 for a 45-minute show—such as a guided tour of the night sky wherein experts talk about planets, constellations, zodiac signs, deep sky objects, etc., along with the opportunity to observe celestial bodies firsthand. Visitors also have a chance to try their hands at astrophotography, visit museums and experience zones centred on the space, build rocket models, etc. There is also an option for patrons to experience the day sky through Starscapes’ solar observatory.
Experiences of a lifetime
“Unforgettable!,” is how Naraina Vihar-resident Chintan Gupta describes his experience at the Bhimtal observatory that he visited with his family. Also a space geek, Gupta recounts the trip he took in June to acquaint his children—Atha (14) and Agraey (6)—with the cosmos. “I use many space apps, and even take my kids for night watches. This is the first time they could look at the sky through a telescope. My 14-year-old has been reading about this in school but here, he got to learn things that are not taught in academic institutions.”
The astronomy community is limited owing to several reasons. The Starscapes team aims to foster a community of amateur astronomers by offering the public a one-of-a-kind experience of the space. “Right now, we are at a stage where the community [of those interested in astronomy] is very small as compared to the population,” shares Savio. The organisation is also trying to build a space for children interested in astronomy through their ‘Cosmofluencer’ programme under which they intend to work with school and college children who will simplify concepts related to the sky and the universe.