Abstract Details


Name: Ravindra B
Affiliation: Indian Institute of Astrophysics
Conference ID: TVS202510252
Title: India's National Large Solar Telescope (NLST) for High-Resolution Solar Atmospheric Research
Authors and Co-Authors:
Abstract Type: Invited by SOC
Abstract: The National Large Solar Telescope (NLST), a state-of-the-art 2-meter telescope led by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics with domestic and international collaboration, is poised to revolutionize solar atmospheric research. Designed for high-resolution spatial and spectral observations of the Sun’s outer layers, the NLST employs an innovative on-axis Gregorian optical configuration with minimal reflections to enhance throughput and reduce polarization effects. Equipped with high-order adaptive optics for near-diffraction-limited imaging and a suite of advanced post-focus instruments, including broadband and tunable Fabry-Perot narrow-band imagers and a high-resolution spectropolarimeter, the telescope provides a good data of the solar atmosphere. Following a rigorous site characterization program initiated in 2007, two Himalayan locations above 4,000 meters were selected for their low water vapor and monsoon-free conditions, ideal for solar observations. Housed in a fully open dome on a 20-meter tower to minimize atmospheric and thermal disturbances, the NLST will complement observatories in the USA and Europe, filling a critical gap in global solar research infrastructure and providing new insights into our nearest star.