Osmania University sets its sights on Nizam-era observatory

The Department of Astronomy, Osmania University, is now looking to restore the lost glory of Nizamia Observatory with full-fledged astronomical activities and research.

Hyderabad: Once, more than a century ago, this place was abuzz with observations of terrestrial and celestial events. And later, it also boasted of having one of country’s biggest telescopes.

Sadly, for the last several years, Hyderabad’s once-popular Nizamia Observatory, which dates back to 1907, has been languishing in apathy at Japal Rangapur in Rangareddy district.

The Department of Astronomy, Osmania University, is now looking to restore the lost glory of the observatory with full-fledged astronomical activities and research. It has drawn up a plan to procure new equipment; accordingly, a new 0.3-0.7-metre-range telescope with high-end camera has been planned and proposed for funds from the Department of Science and Technology. The new telescope would have remotely operating features.

“We have raised our proposal with the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India, to procure the new telescope, which costs between Rs 1 crore and Rs 2 crore and can be remotely operated. This new facility will increase the research activity and also public outreach programmes,” a faculty member said.

Presently, the observatory that is spread over 200 acres in Ranga Reddy district houses a 48-inch telescope, two 12-inch telescopes and one astrograph. However, the 48-inch telescope has been defunct for several years.

“As it is an old telescope, its spare parts are not easily available. Earlier when fully functional, this facility helped many researchers publish their research papers, and several students were awarded PhDs with research work carried out using data obtained from the observatory,” the faculty member said.

The history of the observatory dates back to the Nizam era when it was established as Nizamia Observatory by Nawab Zafar Yar Jung Bahadur, the then Defence Minister for Mir Mahboob Ali Khan, the Sixth Nizam, at Phisalbanda in 1907. Later, it was shifted to Begumpet but after concerns were raised on the growing light pollution in the city impacting the celestial monitoring, it was moved to a place between Japal and Rangapur in Ranga Reddy.

The construction of the observatory with a special dome to house the 48-inch telescope commenced in 1963 and the telescope was installed in 1968-69 upon the completion of work. The telescope was one of the biggest in India during those days, and the research work and data obtained from the observatory was published in national and international journals.

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