Kiran Kumar, former ISRO chairman and current chairman of IIA, and S. Rajendra Kumar, Chief Postal Master of Karnataka Circle, released commemorative stamps for the Kodaikanal solar observatory in Bangalore on Friday. |Picture source: Special arrangement
The Post Office released postal stamps at the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) on Friday to mark the 125th anniversary of the Kodaikanal Solar Observatory.
Founded on April 1, 1899, the Observatory has been the cradle of solar astrophysics since then and has made many breakthrough discoveries.
Beginning on April 1, 2024, the quasi-anniversary of the year was celebrated, a suitable tribute to the scientific institution, the issuance of stamps for its honor.
The stamps commemorating this history and heritage were issued by Kiran Kumar, former chairman and current chairman of the IIA Council, and S. Rajendra Kumar, chief prime minister of Karnataka Circle.
The stamp is notably the iconic historic building of the Kodeikanal solar observatory with two domes, IIA said. The dome to the right has a 6-inch telescope that was installed at the Madras Observatory as early as 1850, was remodeled in 1898, and was installed in Kodaikanal in 1900 by then-director Michie Smith.
The dome on the left features an 8-inch telescope installed at the Madras Observatory in 1866 and was brought to Kodeikanal in 1930. The telescope is now used for public outreach for visitors.
“The stamp also has an image of H-alpha, which is a sun image taken at the Kodaikanal Sun Observatory on May 6, 2024, as well as the IIA logo. In addition, the color illustrations in the stamp are the famous “butterfly image”, which is the image of Sunspots vers vers vers vers vers vers vers of the overervores of the overvoring override of the overvoring override of the override of the override of the Sunspots.
The stamp will be purchased soon by stamp collectors from various provincial bureaus in Karnataka.
publishing – May 17, 2025 at 12:07 am
