ACCIMT Telescope opens for the general public on 24th night to show the rare Lunar occultation of Saturn
Prof Chandana Jayaratne, the Chairman of the ACCIMT, said that the ACCIMT astronomical observatory and the biggest telescope in Sri Lanka would be opened for the general public on July 24th night from 11.00 p.m. to 25th 3.00 a.m., facilitating the public to observe the Lunar Occultation of Saturn - a rare celestial event that Sri Lankans can see again only on 24th April 2037.
The covering of the planet Saturn, the 2nd largest planet in the solar system, by Moon, will be commencing around 50 minutes past midnight for a duration of 1 hour and 20 minutes, and Saturn will start to re-appear again around 2.10 a.m. on July 25th morning. These timings vary from location to location in Sri Lanka by a few minutes, and the exact timings are given on the ACCIMT website.
Though the event can be observed from home with unaided naked eyes or using binoculars, for a magnificent view, facilities are being made for the public to visit the ACCIMT and observe Saturn, Moon and other visible celestial objects from 11.00 p.m. onwards. However, Prof. Jayaratne requested the public not to come to the ACCIMT Institute if the sky is not clear and covered by clouds.
