The telescope is available during the first 15 days before the full moon (Pournami). Moon rise timings change afterward. Besides offering views of the moon, the telescope enables visitors to observe planetary alignments, which are of educational value and a sense of wonder.
Visakhapatnam: A new attraction at RK Beach is drawing crowds of enthusiasts eager to get a closer look at the Earth's celestial companion.
A private company that specialises in stargazing has installed a high-powered telescope on the popular beach, offering visitors a view of the moon's surface. For a fee of Rs 50, locals and tourists alike can observe lunar craters and movements in remarkable detail.
"We have set up the telescope to show what the moon looks like when viewed up close," said Bobby, the company representative. In a conversation with Deccan Chronicle, he explained that this is the company’s first venture in Visakhapatnam. They have similar setups in Pondicherry and Karnataka.
The fascination with the moon has seen a significant surge following India's successful Chandrayaan-3 mission.
"Large crowds turned up on Saturday, the pink moon day," Bobby noted. He said weekends typically draw more than 50 visitors, while weekdays see between 20–30 enthusiasts.
The telescope is available during the first 15 days before the full moon (Pournami). Moon rise timings change afterward. Besides offering views of the moon, the telescope enables visitors to observe planetary alignments, which are of educational value and a sense of wonder.
"I was not sure how it would look. But when I saw the moon through the telescope, it was as if I was viewing it from a much smaller distance—similar to how a zoom-in camera works," said M. Kavitha, who visited the setup at RK Beach.
