Young women trained as astronomy guides in remote Indian village

Young women in Hanle, a village in the Indian Himalayas, have been trained to guide tourists through stargazing sessions at night. Hanle is India's first dark sky reserve, known for its very clear skies.

Around 18 women are now working as astro-ambassadors. During the day, they cook meals and clean rooms at family homestays. After dark, they set up telescopes and use laser pointers to show visitors planets, stars, and the Milky Way. The village turns off its lights at 11pm so the sky stays dark.

The training was provided by the government and the Indian Institute of Astrophysics. Four of the ambassadors are Palzes Angmo, Tsering Dolker, Tsering Yangdol, and Padma Chamchot. The programme has given villagers a new source of income alongside their traditional work.