In the far north of India, there is a small village called Hanle. It is in the Ladakh region, 5,290m above sea level. The land looks like the Moon, and the sky is very dark. Hanle has about 270 clear nights every year.
When the Sun goes down, locals turn off the lights. Then the black sky shows thousands of stars, the Milky Way, and sometimes even planets. For many visitors, it feels like magic.
Since 2022, Hanle is home to the Hanle Dark Sky Reserve (HDSR). It is very big – 1,074 sq km, and includes six villages, a monastery, and 10 telescopes. Visitors can stay in small homestays and watch the stars on rooftops or in courtyards. Each September, Hanle also hosts a Star Party. At this festival, many stargazers and photographers come with cameras and telescopes.
Life in Hanle
Tourists usually come in summer, between June and September. In winter, it is too cold. From Leh, the capital of Ladakh, you can travel by bus or taxi, but you need a special permit.
In the daytime, people visit the Buddhist monastery or hike to the Indian Astronomical Observatory on Mount Digpa Ratsa Ri. This observatory has one of the highest telescopes in the world. It also has the Himalayan Chandra Telescope and the MACE gamma ray telescope.
Before 1992, only Changpa nomads lived here. But when the observatory was built, many families stayed. Now they guide visitors, teach about stars, and run guesthouses.
Hanle people follow Tibetan Buddhism. During solar and lunar eclipses, they make offerings. In folk songs, stars and planets are often mentioned. For example, when a bride leaves her home, a song about Venus is sung.
Guides explain the stars with laser pointers. Visitors see Saturn’s rings or the Andromeda Galaxy. Some locals say: “The more time you spend in darkness, the better you see.”
Future of Hanle
Astrotourism brings money to the village, but also problems. Sometimes more than 100 tourists come in one night, and there are not enough beds. Light pollution is another danger. That is why villagers and scientists work together to protect the night sky.
A tourist from Ahmedabad said: “Even when I close my eyes, I still see stars.” This shows how strong the experience can be.
Hanle is one of the best places on Earth to see the cosmos. But the question remains: can the people protect their dark skies for the future?
Source: bbc.com
Vocabulary for the Article
Cosmos – the universe with stars and planets.
We looked at the cosmos at night.
Milky Way – a white band of stars across the sky.
The Milky Way was very clear in Hanle.
Observatory – a place with telescopes to study space.
The observatory is on a high mountain.
Telescope – a tool to see faraway stars and planets.
I saw Saturn through the telescope.
Stargazing – watching and enjoying the stars at night.
Stargazing is popular in Hanle.
Festival – a special event or celebration.
The Star Party is a festival in September.
Nomad – a person who moves from place to place.
The Changpa nomads lived in tents before settling in Hanle.
Permit – official paper that gives permission.
You need a permit to visit Hanle.
Tradition – something people do for many years.
Singing about Venus is a tradition in Hanle.
Constellation – a group of stars that form a pattern.
Orion is a famous constellation in the night sky.
Planet – a round object moving around a star.
Venus is a bright planet in the morning sky.
Altitude – the height of a place above sea level.
Hanle is at a very high altitude.
Light pollution – too much artificial light at night.
Light pollution makes it hard to see stars.
Astrotourism – travel to places to see the stars.
Astrotourism is growing fast in Hanle.
Dark sky – a night sky without city lights.
Hanle has one of the darkest skies in the world.
Monastery – a building where monks live and pray.
Visitors often go to the Buddhist monastery in Hanle.
Homestay – staying in a local family’s home while travelling.
We stayed in a homestay during our trip to Hanle.
Galaxy – a system of stars and planets.
The Andromeda Galaxy is visible from Hanle.
Guide – a person who shows visitors interesting places.
The astro guide showed us Saturn’s rings.
Photographer – a person who takes photos.
Many photographers come to Hanle to capture the stars.
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