Stargazing (Evening Visit) is open for public.

Q: Who can visit ARIES?
A: Everyone! Young generation, especially school, college and university students are encouraged to visit.

Q: How to reach ARIES?
A: ARIES Science Centre for visitors is located at Manora Peak campus. It is at a distance of 9 km from Nainital Bus Stand. Click here for its location on Google Maps.

Q: What can we see/experience at ARIES?
A: For general public/private groups: Planetarium show, poster gallery, videos on telescopes and other facilities, dark spots on sun (sunspots) through telescope and night sky watching through telescope.

For student groups from schools/colleges: Tour of 104cm Sampurnanand Telescope, weather balloon launch (on most Wednesdays), interaction with a scientist (depending on availability), planetarium show, poster gallery, sunspots through telescope and night sky watching through telescope.

Q: When can we visit? What are the timings?
A: Day visits at Manora Peak are open only on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays (not on public holidays). Evening time stargazing is available on all days of the week, starting 10-15 mins after the sunset.
Visiting time for student groups: 10:00 am and 11:00 pm.
Visiting time for general public: 2:30 pm and 4:30 pm (Day visits).
Visiting time for stargazing: 6:45 pm to 8:00 pm at present (Timings vary with seasons). Entry will close at 7:30 pm.

Please note: Devasthal Science Centre is open only for educational visits (schools, colleges etc.) with prior permission. Visits to 3.6m Devasthal Optical Telescope and 4m International Liquid Mirror Telescope are NOT allowed.

Q: Is there any charge or entry fee?
A: No. It is free for everyone.

Q: Can we visit Manora Peak Science Centre on public holidays, Saturdays or Sundays?
A: Yes but only evening stargazing will be available on holidays. No day shows are possible on these days.

Q: How many students are allowed at a time or in one batch?
A: At Manora Peak, the preferred batch size is 30-60 students + teachers at a time due to limited seating capacity, though up to 80 students maximum can be accommodated. For larger groups, kindly plan the visits spread over multiple days. Devasthal Science Centre can accommodate maximum 30 persons.

Q: How many public visitors are allowed at a time or in one batch?
A: Maximum 25 visitors can be accommodated at a time. For larger groups, kindly plan the visits spread over multiple days or in different time slots on a day.

Q: Can we visit Devasthal where larger telescopes are located?
A: Only on Saturdays between 2:30 pm to 4:30 pm for Educational Groups. only Science Centre at Manora Peak campus is open for public visitors. Click here for its location on Google Maps.

Q: Does ARIES provide any transportation or accommodation for the visit?
A: No, ARIES does NOT provide transportation or accommodation. We request you to make your own travel and accommodation arrangements.

Q: Is there any arrangement for food such as canteens or restaurants on campus?
A: No, there are no canteens/restaurants for visitors on campus. We request you to kindly make your own arrangements for food.

Q: Is overnight stargazing using telescopes available?
A: No, overnight stargazing is not possible.

Q: Can we do stargazing using the bigger telescopes?
A: No. The bigger telescopes are scientific instruments and they are used by scientists for research. These instruments are not for public use. For public stargazing, there is a large telescope (14 inch aperture) in our science centre.

Q: Are there special arrangements for elderly or Divyang (differently abled) visitors?
A: No. ARIES Science Centre at Manora Peak is located on an elevated terrain and one has to navigate hilly path and climb stairs to reach it. We advise individuals with mobility concerns to plan their visit accordingly and take these factors into consideration. The Devasthal Science Centre has a ramp and is easily accessible to everyone.

Q: How to apply for visit?
A: Please apply online at least a week before your visit. You will receive an acknowledgement email after submitting the request. Please note that this is not the confirmation of your visit. General public/private visitors will receive an approval email (a day before your visit) or phone call (on the same day of your visit) confirming your visit based on the weather conditions. Educational groups will receive the approval email or phone call to discuss the visit within a few days of submitting their requests. Hence, please carefully enter your email and phone number. Click here to apply online.

(ASPOP Team, ARIES)