Q1.
M.K. Vainu Bappu is known as the father of modern Indian astronomy. He led efforts in setting up many instruments and telescopes in India, such as the telescopes at Manora Peak near Nainital (Uttarakhand) and Kavalur (Tamil Nadu). The observatory at Kavalur has been named after him. He mainly studied stars and even discovered a comet. He also travelled to different parts of the world to study solar eclipses.
Answer
M.K. Vainu Bappu (1927–1982) is called the father of modern Indian astronomy because he built the facilities on which Indian astronomy still stands.
| What he did | Why it mattered |
|---|---|
| Led the setting up of telescopes at Manora Peak, near Nainital (Uttarakhand) | Gave India a modern observatory in the Himalayan foothills |
| Led the setting up of the observatory at Kavalur (Tamil Nadu) | Home to a large optical telescope; the observatory now carries his name |
| Studied stars | His work on the brightness of stars is used to estimate their distances |
| Discovered a comet | A rare distinction, and proof of patient, careful observation |
| Travelled the world to observe solar eclipses | A total solar eclipse lasts only a few minutes and is visible from a narrow strip, so astronomers must go to it |
Why astronomers chase eclipses: for those few minutes the blinding disc of the Sun is hidden, and the faint outer atmosphere of the Sun becomes visible. As the chapter says, an eclipse gives an opportunity to study things that cannot be observed otherwise.
Did you know? The Vainu Bappu Observatory at Kavalur is run by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA), Bengaluru — the same institute that runs the Kodaikanal Solar Observatory, set up in 1899.