The Kalimpong Science Centre will be the destination for those who want to see the celestial objects

Star attractions: celestron telescope & zorbing ball
Kalimpong, Aug. 29: The Kalimpong Science Centre will be the destination for those who want to see the celestial objects in all their splendour or simply roll down the lush greens inside a spherical object this autumn. A CPC 800 celestron telescope with GPRS facility and a zorbing ball are the two new attractions that will be available for visitors in the next few days at the science centre, located in the picturesque Deolo Hills, 5km from here. The centre, established in October 2008, is fast emerging as popular destination not just for the local people but also the tourists. “The telescope is a very modern one that should delight the stargazers. It has computer attached to it and one can trace any object in the celestial world through auto-tracking,” said B.B. Gurung, the centre’s curator. With the new telescope in its kitty, the centre is planning to organise observation programmes during eclipses for the benefit of the stargazers. “It will surely be a new experience for enthusiasts to observe the eclipse through the powerful telescope,” said Gurung. Kalimpong, however, does not have an astronomy club of amateur stargazers. But there should be many takers even among the local people for the zorbing ball, for the thrill of rolling down a hill inside a ball made of transparent fibre. “The diameter of the ball is 14 feet, and more than two persons can easily fit inside. The zorbing ball at our centre I believe is the first of its kind in the Northeast,” said the centre’s curator. The CPC 800 celestron telescope to observe the celestial objects. Picture by Chinlop Fudong Lepcha The zorbing ball is very light in weight since it is made of flexible plastic. The ball is double-sectioned, with one ball inside the other with an air layer between. This acts as a shock absorber for the rider, damping bumps while travelling. “Zorbing is generally performed on a gentle slope, but can also be done on a level surface, permitting more rider control. Zorbing has become very popular attraction in Manali in Himachal Pradesh,” said Gurung. The two new additions are expected to increase the footfall at the centre, which will complete three years in early October. Gurung said the centre attracts about 200 visitors every day on an average. “The footfall can be as high as 4,000 a day at times. The monsoon is a lean season for us,” he added. The centre was developed by the National Council of Science Museum and is run by the education department of the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council. -TT