The highest observatory in the world just opened in Chile

2 weeks ago

The University of Tokyo Atacama Observatory (TAO) officially opened connected Tuesday aft 26 years of readying and construction. Sitting 18,500 feet precocious connected Mount Chajnantor successful nan Atacama Desert successful Chile, nan 6.5-meter optical-infrared TAO scope is now nan highest successful nan world.

TAO replaces a smaller type of itself called MiniTAO, which held nan highest scope favoritism earlier it. It thumps nan Chacaltaya Observatory, owned by nan University of Madrid and sitting 17,191 feet connected Mount Chacaltaya successful Bolivia.

The adjacent 3 grounds holders successful nan apical 5 are besides successful Chile’s Atacama desert: the James Ax Observatory (17,100 feet); nan Atacama Cosmology Telescope (17,030 feet); and nan Llano de Chajnantor Observatory (sources vary; astir 16,700 feet). Many of nan world’s awesome observatories are built successful nan high-altitude, northeastern area of Chile, adjacent Bolivia, because of its clear skies. The country’s tax exemptions for specified projects help, too.

Being truthful precocious up intends acold little moisture successful nan air; TAO tin observe “almost nan full scope of near-infrared wavelengths,” including mid-infrared. No different earthbound scope tin do that, Phys.org notes. The University of Tokyo writes that specified terrestrial observatories are tin of taking higher-resolution shots of space, acknowledgment to their larger apertures, than their space-based counterparts. The scope will beryllium utilized to study astir “the commencement of galaxies and nan root of planets” starting successful 2025, according to nan University of Tokyo’s announcement.

A sketch of nan 6.5-meter diameter telescope.

Image: University of Tokyo

There’s a thought it could besides amended connected observations from nan adjacent ALMA telescope by viewing nan aforesaid objects successful different wavelengths to springiness researchers caller insights.

TAO’s superior mirror.

Image: University of Tokyo

The benefits of TAO sitting astatine specified an utmost altitude travel astatine a cost, however, arsenic humans are beautiful ill-suited for life that precocious up. Yuzuru Yoshii, nan main interrogator who started nan task successful 1998, said that builders moving connected nan scope needed aesculapian checkups and had to regularly inhale oxygen while they worked.

As Phys.org notes, moreover nan researchers moving wrong will request to return precautions to enactment patient successful nan look of altitude sickness. The squad plans to yet run nan scope remotely from a little guidelines facility to debar specified issues.