he central band of the Milky Way rises brilliantly above the Sampurnanand Telescope at the State Observatory in Nainital, India. The telescope, built in 1954, was once among Asia’s largest and played a key role in early Indian astrophysical research. Its dome, weathered with age, now serves as a reminder of the country’s rich astronomical heritage.

Overhead, the galactic core glows with dark dust lanes, star clouds, and the warm light of countless suns. To the right, the bright yellow star Antares and the Rho Ophiuchi complex add color to the scene, while the dense star fields of Sagittarius and Scorpius trace the heart of our Galaxy. The contrast between human-made history and the timeless night sky speaks to our enduring quest to understand the cosmos.