Kolli Hills will launch Tamil Nadu state’s first Dark Sky Park

The Tamil Nadu government announced the launch of the state’s first Dark Sky Park in the Ariyur Shola Reserve Forest in Kolli Hills of Namakkal district.

• The initiative was inaugurated by Forest Minister R.S. Rajakannappan in the presence of Environment, Climate Change and Forest Secretary Supriya Sahu, Principal Chief Conservator of Forests (PCCF) and Head of Forest Force Srinivas R. Reddy, PCCF and Chief Wildlife Warden Rakesh Kumar Dogra along with senior officials.
• According to an official release, a Dark Sky Park is a protected landscape with minimal artificial light pollution, allowing clear views of celestial bodies such as the moon, stars and planets.
• Officials said that Kolli Hills, with its high elevation, dense forests and low urban light disturbance, offers ideal conditions for preserving the night sky and astronomical observation.
• This project, which was announced in the Legislative Assembly on 25 June, 2024, was developed at a cost of ₹1 crore after assessing ecological suitability and sky visibility in the Ariyur Shola Reserve Forest.
• According to the Forest Department, the park has three advanced telescopes for structured sky-watching sessions and solar panels to sustainably power on-site operations. This facility will also function during the day to promote scientific literacy and awareness about astronomy among students, researchers and the general public.
• During major astronomical events, especially around the new moon, overnight stargazing camps are planned two to three times a month for better visibility, but options without night stay will also be provided.

About the major Dark Sky Reserves of India

• India has developed major Dark Sky Parks and reserves to tackle light pollution and promote astro-tourism.
• Hanle Dark Sky Reserve (HDSR) in Ladakh is the first, offering Bortle Class 1 sky, located at an altitude of more than 4,500 meters and home to the Indian Astronomical Observatory.
• Pench Tiger Reserve in Maharashtra is considered India’s first official Dark Sky Park, with special downward lighting in its buffer areas (Wagholi, Sillari, Pipariya and Khapa).
• Spiti Valley, Himachal Pradesh: Known for extremely clear, high-altitude skies in villages like Kibber and Pin Valley.
• Rann of Kutch, Gujarat: The vast, flat and sparsely populated white salt desert offers an ideal, unobstructed horizon for stargazing.
• Astroport Sariska, Rajasthan: A dedicated Dark Sky resort near Delhi that provides high-quality and accessible stargazing facilities.
• Other special locations: Pachmarhi (Madhya Pradesh), Neil Island (Andaman and Nicobar) and Yelagiri (Tamil Nadu). These places are very important for preserving night ecosystems and promoting sustainable tourism, where special lighting is often used or installed to reduce glare and light pollution.