Q. What is the primary mission of the GROWTH-India Telescope, recently seen in news?
Answer:
To observe explosive transients and variable sources, including near-Earth asteroids
Notes: The GROWTH-India Telescope recently made a remarkable observation, capturing a 116-meter, building-sized asteroid during its closest approach to Earth. As India's first fully robotic optical research telescope, its primary mission is to observe explosive transients and variable sources, including near-Earth asteroids. Located at the Indian Astronomical Observatory in Hanle, Ladakh, at 4500 meters above sea level, it is among the highest observatory sites globally. Constructed through a partnership between the Indian Institute of Astrophysics (IIA) and IIT Bombay, with support from DST and the Indo-US Science and Technology Forum, it is part of the international GROWTH network, providing continuous monitoring of celestial events.