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Tata Sky dish antenna unit

TATA Sky is a direct broadcast satellite television provider in India, using MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 digital compression technology, transmitting using INSAT 4A at 83.0°E.^[1]

Its primary competitors are cable television and other DTH service providers—Airtel digital TV, Reliance Big TV, DD Direct+, Dish TV, Sun Direct, and Videocon D2H.

History[link]

Is a joint venture between the Tata Group, that owns 60% and STAR Group that owns a 30% stake.^[2] Tata Sky was incorporated in 2004 but was launched only in 2006. It currently offers close to 196 channels (as of december 2010) and some interactive ones; this count includes some numbers of HD channels offered by Tata Sky (as Tata Sky-HD) and interactive services also.

In March 2010, Sun Microsystems partnered with Tata Sky to provide IT Infrastructure solutions and support for the launch of the company's direct-to-home (DTH) television.^[3]

The company uses the Sky brand owned by British Sky Broadcasting.^[4]

In October 2008, Tata Sky announced launching of DVR service Tata Sky+ which allowed 90 hours of recording in a MPEG-4 compatible Set Top Box. The remote is provided with playback control keys and is being sold with special offers for existing suscribers. After 2011, TATA Sky+ started selling only HD Version of TATA Sky+ know as TATA Sky+ HD.

In 2008, Singapore-based Temasek Holdings picked up 10% stake in Tata Sky from the Tata Group. This has diluted Tata's stake in the venture to 75%.

STAR’s parent company, News Corporation, owns an International group of DTH businesses that include Sky Italia in Italy and Foxtel in Australia.

Tata Sky+[link]

Tata Sky+ is a premium set-top box PVR (Personal Video Recorder) or even known as DVR (Digital Video Recorder) that allows recording up to 130 hours of live TV, recording one programme while watching another, pause, fast-forward and rewind a live telecast and review a TV programme.

Tata Sky HD[link]

Tata Sky HD was launched on June 14, 2010, and has channels in their native resolution of 1080i or 720p. The STB is compatible with 5.1 CH surround sound as well. The service currently offers HD channels - National Geographic Channel HD, Discovery HD World, STAR Movies HD, STAR Plus HD, Sony HD, STAR Cricket HD, STAR World HD, STAR Gold HD, ESPN HD, SET MAX HD AND {SET MAX HD HD}

Tata Sky+ HD[link]

Tata Sky have launched their HD DVR Set Top Box. Tata sky plus HD comes with a 500 GB hard-disk. However, almost 120 gb is reserved for future services like VOD leaving about 425 hours of SD recording or 380 gb that is actually usable by customers. This is still the highest capacity recorder in the indian market as of feb 2012.

Video on Demand[link]

On December 25, 2011 Tata Sky launched Video on Demand(Vod) services for their Tata Sky+ HD set-top boxes.

Tata Sky VoD service will include Catch Up TV and VoD library of movies & TV concerts for subscribers for download but this requires a separate broadband connection to be plugged into the STB.

Channel List[link]

The following is the list of channels provided by Tata Sky as of May 2012.^[5]

In October 2011, Tata Sky removed most of the Malayalam Channels from its list. Even customers who subscribed to their South Jumbo Package are provided only channels from Sungroup (Surya and Kiran) and Asianet (Asianet and Asianet News). Channels dropped are Kairali TV, Amritha TV and DD4 Malayalam. Tata sky has failed to even add Asianet plus channel from its associated Asianet network into its bouquet of offerings. Many suscribers have complained to TRAI alleging discrimination by Tata Sky towards the language.

Active Channels[link]

• DD Girnar
• DD Kashir
• DD Punjabi
• DD Saptagiri
• NDTV Hindu

Tata Sky Active Services[link]

• Active Cooking
• Active Darshan (Shirdi Saibaba/ISKCON/Siddhi Vinayak/Kashi Vishwanath/SVBC)
• Active Doordarshan (DD Gujarati/DD Saptagiri/ DD Punjabi/ DD Kashir)
• Active English
• Active Games
• Active Learning
• Active Mall
• Active Music
• Active Stories
• Active Wizkids

Certifications and Honours[link]

ISO 27001: 2005 accreditation[link]

In March 2009, Tata Sky, became the first Indian direct-to-home (DTH) service provider to be awarded the ISO 27001:2005 accreditation, the benchmark for information security.^[6] ISO 27001:2005 is an international standard that provides specifications and guidance for the establishment and proper maintenance of an Information Security Management System (ISMS). The assessment for the certification was conducted by Intertek Systems Certification, the management systems business unit of Intertek Group. This certification confirms that every transaction carried out through Tata Sky’s IT systems are highly secure.

Superbrand 2009–2010[link]

Tata Sky was selected as a SUPER BRAND for the year 2009-2010 by an independent and voluntary council of experts known as Superbrands Council. It is the only Indian DTH to have won this distinction.

See also[link]

• DD Direct+
• Dish TV
• Airtel digital TV
• Reliance Big TV
• Sun Direct DTH
• TATA Sky
• Videocon D2H
• Tata Group
• British Sky Broadcasting

References[link]

Tata Sky DTH Review - Package and Price

External links[link]

• Official website
• Unofficial Discussion Forum
• Official Tata Sky+ website

v t e Tata Group Divisions and subsidiaries Cromā · The Indian Hotels Company (Ginger · Taj Hotels Resorts and Palaces) · Tata Advanced Systems · Tata Business Support Services · Tata Chemicals (British Salt · Tata Chemicals Europe) · Tata Communications (VSNL International Canada) · Tata Consultancy Services (CMC · Tata Research Development and Design Centre) · Tata Elxsi · Tata Global Beverages (Eight O'Clock Coffee · Good Earth Teas · Tata Coffee · Tetley) · Tata Housing Development Company · Tata Interactive Systems · Tata Motors (Jaguar Land Rover · Tata Daewoo · Tata Hispano) · Tata Power (Tata Power SED) · Tata Steel (Tata Steel Europe · Tayo Rolls) · Tata Technologies · Titan Industries (Tanishq) · Trent (Star Bazaar · Westside) · Voltas Joint ventures TATA AIG General Insurance (74%) · TATA AIG Life Insurance (74%) · Tata BP Solar (50%) · Tata McGraw-Hill · Tata Sky (80%) · Tata Teleservices (Tata DoCoMo · Virgin Mobile India (50%)) (74%) · Telcon Construction Solutions (40%) Brands I-shakti People Jamsetji Tata · Ratanji Dadabhoy · R Gopalakrishnan · Dorabji Tata · Nowroji Saklatwala · J. R. D. Tata · Ratan Tata · Pallonji Mistry · Surya Kant · Cyrus Pallonji Mistry Other Bombay House · Tata-Dhan Academy · Tata Football Academy · Tata Sons Category

Look up tata in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.

Tata or TATA may refer to:

Companies[link]

• Tata Group, India's largest business group and multinational company
  • List of entities associated with Tata Group

People[link]

• Tata family, an influential family of India owning the Tata Group
  • Jamsetji Tata, known as the father of Indian industry
  • Dorabji Tata, Indian industrialist and philanthropist
  • J. R. D. Tata, Indian pioneer aviator and founder of Tata Airlines
  • Ratan Naval Tata, present chairman of the Tata Group
  • Simone Naval Tata, chairperson of Trent
• Nelson Mandela, commonly known in South Africa as Tata
• Tata Young, Thai singer, model and actress
• Carlos Manuel Baldomir, Argentine boxer nicknamed "Tata"

Places[link]

• Tata, Hungary, a city in Hungary
• Tata, Morocco, a city in Morocco
• Jamshedpur, a city in Jharkhand, India

Other[link]

• Sir Dorabji Tata and Allied Trusts, a trust founded by Dorabji Tata
• TATA box, a DNA sequence
• Tata Manavadu, a 1972 Telugu film.
• TTFN or "ta ta for now", an alternative way to say goodbye
• Tata (Middle-earth), one of the first Elves in J. R. R. Tolkien's Middle-earth legendarium
• Station code for Tatanagar Railway Station
• Tata Jagriti Yatra, an initiative by Tata Group and Jagriti Sewa Sansthan in India

See also[link]

• Tatar (disambiguation)
• Tatra (disambiguation)

This disambiguation page lists articles associated with the same title. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article.

Crepuscular rays of light shining through clouds near the Washington Monument in Washington D.C.

The sky, also known as the celestial dome, commonly refers to everything that lies a certain distance above the surface of Earth, including the atmosphere and the rest of outer space. In the field of astronomy, the sky is also called the celestial sphere. This is an imaginary dome where the sun, stars, planets, and the moon are seen to be traveling. The celestial sphere is divided into regions called constellations. Usually, the term sky is used from the point of view of the Earth's surface. However, the exact meaning of the term can vary; in some cases, the sky is defined as only the denser portions of the atmosphere, for example.

During daylight, the sky appears to be blue because air scatters blue sunlight more than it scatters red.^[1][2][3][4] At night, the sky appears to be a mostly dark surface or region scattered with stars. During the day, the Sun can be seen in the sky, unless obscured by clouds. In the night sky (and to some extent during the day) the moon, planets and stars are visible in the sky. Some of the natural phenomena seen in the sky are clouds, rainbows, and aurorae. Lightning and precipitation can also be seen in the sky during storms. Birds, insects, aircraft, and kites are often considered to fly in the sky. As a result of human activities, smog during the day and light pollution during the night are often seen above large cities.

During the day[link]

A greater proportion of blue light scattered by the atmosphere relative to red light.

When seen from high altitudes, the gradient in the sky's color varies from pale to dark at elevations approaching the zenith

Except for light that comes directly from the sun, most of the light in the day sky is a result of scattering, which is dominated by a small-particle limit called Rayleigh Scattering. The scattering due to molecule sized particles (as in air) is greater in the forward and backward directions than it is in the lateral direction.^[5] Scattering is significant for light at all visible wavelengths, but it is stronger at the shorter (bluer) end of the visible spectrum, meaning that that the scattered light is more blue than its source, the sun. The remaining sunlight, having lost some of its short wavelength components, appears slightly less blue.

Scattering also occurs even more strongly in clouds. Individual water droplets exposed to white light will create a set of colored rings. If a cloud is thick enough, scattering from multiple water droplets will wash out the set of colored rings and create a washed out white color.^[6]

Orange clouds at sunset

The sky can turn a multitude of colors such as red, orange, purple and yellow (especially near sunset or sunrise) when the light must pass through a much longer path (or optical depth) through the atmosphere. Scattering effects also partially polarize light from the sky, most pronounced at an angle 90° from the sun. Scattered light from the horizon has traveled through as much as 38 times the atmosphere than has light from the zenith, causing it to lose blue components. The result is a blue gradient — vivid at the zenith, pale near the horizon.^[7] Because red light scatters as well if there is enough air in between the source and the observer, these longer wavelengths of light will also scatter significantly, making parts of the sky change color during a sunset. As the amount of atmosphere nears infinity, the scattered light appears more and more white.^[8]

The sun is not the only object that may appear less blue in atmosphere. Far away clouds or snowy mountaintops will seem yellow as well; that effect is not obvious on clear days, but very pronounced when clouds are covering the line of sight reducing the blue hue from scattered sunlight.^[8] At higher altitudes, the sky trends to darker colors, since scattering is reduced due to lower air density; an extreme example is the moon, where there is no atmosphere and no scattering, making the sky on the moon black even when the sun is visible.^[9]

Sky luminance distribution models have been recommended by the International Commission on Illumination (CIE) for the design of daylighting schemes. Recent developments relate to “all sky models” for modelling sky luminance under weather conditions ranging from clear sky to overcast.^[10]

Dusk and dawn[link]

The intensity of the sky varies greatly over the day and the primary cause differs as well. When the sun is well above the horizon, direct scattering of sunlight (Rayleigh scattering) is the overwhelmingly dominant source of light. However, in twilight, the period of time between sunset and sunrise, the situation is more complicated, and a further differentiation is required. Some of the more common phenomenae that can be observed during this period are described below.

Green flashes and green rays are optical phenomena that occur shortly after sunset or before sunrise, when a green spot is visible, usually for no more than a second or two, above the sun, or it may resemble a green ray shooting up from the sunset point. Green flashes are a group of phenomena stemming from different causes,^[11] most of which occur when there is a temperature inversion (when temperatures increase with altitude rather than the normal decrease in temperature with altitude). Green flashes may be observed from any altitude (even from an aircraft). They usually are seen at an unobstructed horizon, such as over the ocean, but are possible over cloud tops and mountain tops as well. A green flash also may be observed in association with the Moon and bright planets at the horizon, including Venus and Jupiter.^[12][13]

The Earth's shadow is the shadow that the Earth itself casts on its atmosphere, which is often visible from the surface of the Earth, as a dark band in the sky near the horizon. This atmospheric phenomenon can sometimes be seen twice a day, around the times of sunset and sunrise. When the weather conditions and the observer's viewing point permit a clear sight of the horizon, the shadow can be seen as a dark blue or greyish-blue band. Assuming the sky is clear, the Earth's shadow is visible in the opposite half of the sky to the sunset or sunrise, and is seen right above the horizon as a dark blue band. A related phenomenon is the "Belt of Venus" or "anti-twilight arch" (sometimes written as "antitwilight arch"), a pink band that is visible above the dark blue of the Earth's shadow, in the same part of the sky. There is no clear dividing line between the Earth's shadow and the Belt of Venus; one colored band shades into the other in the sky.^[14][15]

Twilight is divided into three segments according to how far the sun is below the horizon in segments of 6°. After sunset the civil twilight sets in, and ends when the sun drops more than 6° below the horizon. This is followed by the nautical twilight, when the sun reaches heights of -6° and -12°, after which comes the astronomical twilight defined as the period from -12° to -18°. When the sun drops more than 18° below the horizon the sky generally attains its minimum brightness.^[16]

Several sources can be identified as the source of the intrinsic brightness of the sky, namely airglow, indirect scattering of sunlight, scattering of starlight, and artificial light pollution.

During the night[link]

The Milky Way can be seen as a large band across the night sky, and is distorted into an arch in this 360° panorama.

The term night sky refers to the sky as seen at night. The term is usually associated with skygazing and astronomy, with reference to views of celestial bodies such as stars, the Moon, and planets that become visible on a clear night after the Sun has set. Natural light sources in a night sky include moonlight, starlight, and airglow, depending on location and timing. The fact that the sky is not completely dark at night can be easily observed. Were the sky (in the absence of moon and city lights) absolutely dark, one would not be able to see the silhouette of an object against the sky.

The night sky and studies of it have a historical place in both ancient and modern cultures. In the past, for instance, farmers have used the state of the night sky as a calendar to determine when to plant crops. The ancient belief in astrology is generally based on the belief that relationships between heavenly bodies influence or convey information about events on Earth. The scientific study of the night sky and bodies observed within it, meanwhile, takes place in the science of astronomy.

Within visible-light astronomy, the visibility of celestial objects in the night sky is affected by light pollution. The presence of the Moon in the night sky has historically hindered astronomical observation by increasing the amount of ambient lighting. With the advent of artificial light sources, however, light pollution has been a growing problem for viewing the night sky. Special filters and modifications to light fixtures can help to alleviate this problem, but for the best views, both professional and amateur optical astronomers seek viewing sites located far from major urban areas.

Use within weather forecasting[link]

Marestail shows moisture at high altitude, signalling the later arrival of wet weather.

Along with pressure tendency, the condition of the sky is one of the more important parameters used to forecast weather in mountainous areas. Thickening of cloud cover or the invasion of a higher cloud deck is indicative of rain in the near future. At night, high thin cirrostratus clouds can lead to halos around the moon, which indicates an approach of a warm front and its associated rain.^[17] Morning fog portends fair conditions and can be associated with a marine layer, an indication of a stable atmosphere.^[18] Rainy conditions are preceded by wind or clouds which prevent fog formation. The approach of a line of thunderstorms could indicate the approach of a cold front. Cloud-free skies are indicative of fair weather for the near future.^[19] The use of sky cover in weather prediction has led to various weather lore over the centuries.^[20]

Tropical cyclones[link]

Picture of the sky within the eye of a tropical cyclone

Within 36 hours of the passage of a tropical cyclone's center, the pressure begins to fall and a veil of white cirrus clouds approaches from the cyclone's direction. Within 24 hours of the closest approach to the center, low clouds begin to move in, also known as the bar of a tropical cyclone, as the barometric pressure begins to fall more rapidly and the winds begin to increase. Within 18 hours of the center's approach, squally weather is common, with sudden increases in wind accompanied by rain showers or thunderstorms. Within six hours of the center's arrival, rain becomes continuous. Within an hour of the center, the rain becomes very heavy and the highest winds within the tropical cyclone are experienced. When the center arrives with a strong tropical cyclone, weather conditions improve and the sun becomes visible as the eye moves overhead. Once the system departs, winds reverse and, along with the rain, suddenly increase. One day after the center's passage, the low overcast is replaced with a higher overcast, and the rain becomes intermittent. By 36 hours after the center's passage, the high overcast breaks and the pressure begins to level off.^[21]

Use within transportation[link]

A Barn Swallow in flight

Flight is the process by which an object moves, through or beyond the sky (as in the case of spaceflight), by generating aerodynamic lift, propulsive thrust, aerostatically using buoyancy, or by ballistic movement, without any direct mechanical support from the ground. The engineering aspects of flight are studied in aerospace engineering which is subdivided into aeronautics, which is the study of vehicles that travel through the air, and astronautics, the study of vehicles that travel through space, and in ballistics, the study of the flight of projectiles. While human beings have been capable of flight via hot air balloons since 1783,^[22] other species have used flight for significantly longer. Animals, such as birds, bats, and insects are capable of flight. Spores and seeds from plants use flight, via use of the wind, as a method of propagating their species.^[23]

Significance in mythology[link]

Jupiter, Ancient Roman sky deity

This section requires expansion.

Many mythologies have deities especially associated with the sky. The Egyptian god Horus was the god of the Sky. Zeus was the god of the sky and thunder in Greek mythology. The Roman god Jupiter was the god of sky and thunder. Many cultures have drawn constellations between stars in the sky, using them in association with legends and mythology about their deities.

See also[link]

• Cyanometer

References[link]

External links[link]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Sky

• Day sky images
• Night Sky images
• Sky photo gallery
• Why is the sky blue?

Aamir Khan
Aamir Khan at NDTV Greenathon in Yash Raj Studios, 2012
Born	Aamir Hussain Khan (1965-03-14) 14 March 1965 (age 47) Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
Occupation	Film actor, producer, director and writer
Years active	1973–1974, 1984, 1988–2001, 2005–present
Spouse	Reena Dutta (1986–2002) Kiran Rao (2005–present)
Children	3
Website
http://www.aamirkhan.com/

Aamir Hussain Khan (pronounced [ˈaːmɪr ˈxaːn]) (born 14 March 1965) is an Indian film actor, director and producer who has established himself as one of the leading actors of Hindi cinema.^[1][2][3]

Starting his career as a child actor in his uncle Nasir Hussain's film Yaadon Ki Baaraat (1973), Khan began his professional career eleven years later with Holi (1984) and had his first commercial success with Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988). He received his first National Film Award as a Special Jury Award for his roles in the films Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak (1988) and Raakh (1989).^[4] After eight previous nominations during the 1980s and 1990s, Khan received his first Filmfare Award for Best Actor for his performance in the major grosser Raja Hindustani (1996)^[5][6] and later earned his second Best Actor award for his performance in the Academy Award-nominated Lagaan, which also marked the debut of his own production company.

Following a four-year break from acting, Khan made his comeback playing the title role in the historical Mangal Pandey: The Rising (2005), and later won a Filmfare Critics Award for Best Actor for his role in Rang De Basanti (2006). The following year, he made his directorial debut with Taare Zameen Par, for which he received a Filmfare Award for Best Director. This was followed by Ghajini (2008), which became the highest grossing film of that year, and 3 Idiots (2009), which became the highest-grossing Bollywood film of all-time, unadjusted for inflation.^[7] The Government of India honoured him with the Padma Shri in 2003 and the Padma Bhushan in 2010 for his contributions towards the arts.^[8][9][10]

On 30 November 2011, Khan was appointed as national brand ambassador of UNICEF to promote child nutrition.^[11]

Early life[link]

Khan was born in Bandra's Holy Family Hospital, Mumbai, India, to a Muslim^[12] family that has been actively involved in the Indian motion picture industry for several decades. His father, Tahir Hussain, was a film producer while his uncle, Nasir Hussain, was a film producer as well as a director and an actor. His family on his father´s side are originally from Herat, Afghanistan.^[13]

He is a descendant of the scholar and politician Maulana Abul Kalam Azad and a second cousin to former deputy chairperson and current member of Rajya Sabha Dr. Najma Heptulla.

Career[link]

Actor[link]

Khan began his film career at the age of 8, as a child actor in a home production, made by Nasir Hussain, titled Yaadon Ki Baaraat (1973)^[14] and Madhosh (1974). Eleven years later, he made his adult acting debut in a role that went quite unnoticed in Ketan Mehta's Holi (1984).

Khan's first notable leading role came in 1988 in the film Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak which was directed by his cousin and Nasir Hussain's son Mansoor Khan. This film was a breakthrough commercial success, effectively launching Khan's career as a leading actor. Having the typical 'chocolate hero' looks, he was publicised as a teen idol. He also starred in critically acclaimed film Raakh, for which Khan got his first National Award for Special Jury Award. After that, he went on to appear in several other films in the late '80s and early '90s: Dil (1990), which became the highest grossing film of the year,^[15] Dil Hai Ke Manta Nahin (1991), Jo Jeeta Wohi Sikandar (1992), Hum Hain Rahi Pyar Ke (1993) (for which he also wrote the screenplay), and Rangeela (1995). Most of these films were successful critically and commercially.^[16][17][18] Other successes include Andaz Apna Apna, co-starring Salman Khan. At the time of its release the movie was reviewed unfavorably by critics, but over the years has gained a cult status.^[19]

Khan at 2011 Berlin Film Festival

Khan continued to act in just one or two films a year, an unusual trait for a mainstream Hindi cinema actor. His only release in 1996 was the Dharmesh Darshan directed commercial blockbuster Raja Hindustani in which he was paired opposite Karisma Kapoor. The film earned him his first Filmfare Best Actor Award, after seven previous nominations, and went on to become the biggest hit of the year, as well as the third highest grossing Indian film of the 1990s.^[20] Khan's career had seemed to hit a plateau at this point of time, and most of the films to follow for the next few years were only partially successful. In 1997, he co-starred alongside Ajay Devgn, Kajol and Juhi Chawla in Ishq, which performed well at the box office. The following year, Khan appeared in the moderately successful Ghulam, for which he also did playback singing.^[21] John Mathew Matthan's Sarfarosh (1999), Khan's first release in 1999, was also moderately successful, gaining an above average box office verdict.^[22] The film was highly appreciated amongst the critics and Khan's role as a dedicated, honest and uncorrupted cop engaged in fighting border terrorism, was well received, as was his role in Deepa Mehta's art house film Earth. His first release for the new millennium, Mela, in which he acted alongside his real-life brother Faisal Khan, was both a box-office and critical bomb.^[23]

In 2001 he appeared in Lagaan. The film was a major critical and commercial success,^[24] and received a nomination for Best Foreign Language Film at the 74th Academy Awards. Additionally, the film gathered critical acclaim at several international film festivals, in addition to winning numerous Indian awards, including the National Film Awards. Khan himself won his second Filmfare Best Actor Award. The film continues to be one of the most popular Hindi films in the west.^{[citation needed]}