Hanle Observatory

Perched atop Mount Saraswati in the Changthang desert at an altitude of 4,500 meters (14,764 ft), the Indian Astronomical Observatory (IAO) at Hanle is one of the premier high-altitude optical telescopes in the world. Benefiting from exceptionally dry air, minimal atmospheric turbulence, and pristine zero-light-pollution skies within India’s first Dark Sky Reserve, it serves as a global beacon for astrophysical discovery.