A Night Sky Sanctuary is a place that has an outstanding quality of starry nights and the night sky due to which it is conserved for its scientific, environmental, or educational worth, and the enjoyment of the general public. 

There is reason to cheer as the construction of India's first-ever Night Sky Sanctuary, which is being established in Hanle, Ladakh, by CSIR under the Union Ministry of Science & Technology, is well underway and should be ready in a month.

Science & Technology minister Dr. Jitendra Singh said that  "India's first-ever "Night Sky Sanctuary" will be established in Ladakh as a part of Changthang Wildlife Sanctuary and the proposed Dark Sky Reserve will be completed at Hanle in Ladakh. It will boost astronomy tourism in India and make it one of the highest-located sites in the world for optical, infrared, and gamma-ray telescopes.

A sanctuary differs from a reserve and adds more value as it is situated in a distant area with minimal and constrained public intrusion. The protection of a night sky sanctuary is a long-term endeavor because it is a sensitive area. Precautionary measures need to be taken to prevent any harm to the quality of its starry skies.

Hanle in Ladakh has been chosen for this project since it is situated in a cold, deserted area with clear skies and dry weather all year long. Additionally, it is far from any type of human disturbance.

The Union Minister stated that all parties involved are tasked with working together to preserve the night sky and safeguard it from unwelcome light pollution and lighting, which pose a major threat to scientific observations and the sky's natural conditions.