China is building the "world's largest astronomical base" in the Qinghai mountains

Will the world-famous reputation of the most renowned observatory located at the foot of Mauna Kea volcano in Hawaii, situated in the Pacific Ocean, soon be overshadowed? Currently, China is constructing the "world's largest observatory" on the Tibetan Plateau. It will be equipped with two new optical telescopes, hailed as the most powerful telescopes on Earth.

In Qinghai Province, atop Mount Sesheten, which stands over 4,000 meters above sea level, a massive construction project has begun. China plans to transform this remote mountain into the world’s largest observatory, aiming to open it to astronomers by the end of 2030.

Deng Licai, chief scientist for site planning at the National Astronomical Observatories of China (NAOC), told the South China Morning Post that the performance of the telescopes to be installed there will surpass those at the Mauna Kea Observatory in Hawaii—the world’s largest and most famous observatory. He asserted, “The combined light-gathering capability of the Sesheten Observatory telescopes should exceed that of the Mauna Kea telescopes.”

Large Optical Telescope (LOT) and Multi-Object Spectroscopic Survey Telescope (MUST)

Two giant telescopes will be installed on Mount Sesheten in northwestern China. The first, called LOT (Large Optical Telescope), has a primary mirror diameter of 14.5 meters and costs 2.5 billion RMB (approximately 320 million euros). The second, known as MUST (Multi-Object Spectroscopic Survey Telescope), features a 6.5-meter primary mirror, with a construction cost of 1.5 billion RMB (around 190 million euros).

Officials involved in the project announced that these two telescopes will operate in coordination with dozens of smaller instruments. Once completed, LOT will become the world’s second-largest optical telescope—second only to the 39-meter Extremely Large Telescope (ELT), currently under construction in Chile’s Atacama Desert, also known as the European Giant Telescope.

Of significant importance to modern astronomy

Thanks to its mirror composed of 120 hexagonal glass segments, each 1.44 meters in diameter, the LOT telescope will be capable of observing some of the most distant celestial objects in the universe. This instrument will enable scientists to study the formation of the first stars and galaxies after the Big Bang, as well as the epoch of reionization—the period when light from the universe’s first stars gradually cleared the cosmic fog that shrouded the early universe during its turbulent phase.

The Chinese telescopes will incorporate cutting-edge technologies, such as coronagraphs, which block starlight reflection to enhance the search for exoplanets. A high-precision spectrograph will analyze light to determine the chemical composition and motion of stars and planets. Notably, most critical components—including the primary mirror segments—will be manufactured domestically in China.

The Large Optical Telescope (LOT) is expected to be officially launched in December 2030, but before then, the team must overcome numerous engineering challenges posed by this massive structure weighing 500 tons. Once fully operational, Beijing plans to open it to the international scientific community, just like similar facilities in Hawaii and Chile. A project official, who wished to remain anonymous, summed up: “Astronomy has always been a global collaborative effort. When China is ready, we will make a greater contribution.”

Source: rfi

Original article: toutiao.com/article/1867815116778500/

Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author(s) alone.