Bosscha Lembang Tak Lagi Ideal, Lapan Akan Bangun Observatorium di Lembang
Indonesian Institute of Aviation and Space will Build an Observatory in Kupang
Reporter : Gusmiati Waris
Editor : Cahyani Harzi
Translator : Dhelia Gani
Jakarta (B2B) - Kepala Lembaga Penerbangan dan Antariksa Nasional (Lapan) Thomas Djamaluddin mengatakan Lapan akan membangun observatorium nasional di Kupang, Nusa Tenggara Timur pada 2016.
"Lapan berencana membangun observatorium nasional di Gunung Timau di Desa Fatumonas, Kupang setelah mendapat izin dari pemerintah," kata Thomas Djamaluddin di Jakarta pada Rabu (7/10).
Dia menambahkan, pemerintah setempat sudah memberikan izin untuk pembangunan observatorium tapi Lapan masih menunggu izin prinsip dari Kementerian Lingkungan Hidup dan Kehutanan RI.
"Meskipun kawasan tersebut tidak banyak pohon tapi karena termasuk hutan lindung di NTT tetap harus minta zin dari Kementerian LHK, Lapan menjamin tidak banyak pohon yang akan dipotong malahan Lapan akan menanami pepohonan," katanya lagi.
Menurutnya, pembangunan observatorium nasional di Kupang lantaran Observatorium Bosscha di Lembang, Jawa Barat, kini sudah tidak ideal lagi karena pertumbuhan penduduk di sekitarnya.
"Observatorium harus memenuhi syarat kecerahan langit, dan gangguan polusi cahaya, sementara di Lembang Bandung dari segi polusi cahayanya sudah sangat parah," kata Thomas.
Berdasarkan hasil survei yang dilakukan bersama dengan Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB), Lapan memilih Kupang karena hari cerahnya tertinggi di Indonesia dan relatif jauh dari permukiman sehingga polusi cahaya sangat minimal.
Pembangunannya diperkirakan membutuhkan dana Rp300 miliar dari APBN dan ditargetkan rampung pada 2019. Lapan akan mengoperasikan observatorium itu dan mengembangkannya sebagai pusat sains yang terbuka untuk publik. Sementara Observatorium Bosscha akan tetap dijadikan observatorium penelitian dan pendidikan.
Jakarta (B2B) - The Head of Indonesian Institute of Aviation and Space or Lapan, Thomas Djamaluddin declared his institute will build an observatory in Kupang of East Nusa Tenggara province next year, who will serve as a public science center in Indonesia.
"We have planned to build the observatory next year on Mount Timau in Fatumonas village of Kupang after we get a building permit," Mr Djamaluddin said here on Wednesday (10/7).
He added the provincial government granted permission to Lapan and now is still awaiting a permit from the Indonesian Environment and Forestry Ministry because the observatory building is planned to be constructed in a protected forest area.
"There are only a few trees in the protected forest area in East Nusa Tenggara. We will plant more trees around the observatory later," he said.
According to him, the observatory located in Lembang, Bandung city of in West Java province is not ideal due to high light pollution and an increase in housing construction.
Mr Djamaluddin said two minimum requirements such as the sky brightness and light pollution in the surrounding area, need to be met for the observatory to function optimally.
"The light pollution in Bandung is severe," Djamaluddin said, adding that the Boscha observatory in Lembang will be maintained as a research and education observatory.
The survey conducted by the Bandung Technology Institute and LAPAN has revealed that Kupang City has the maximum number of sunny days and low light pollution.
The cost to construct an observatory in Kupang is estimated at 300 billion rupiahs and will be funded from the state budget. Lapan has estimated that the observatory will be developed by 2019.
