Construction work began on Tuesday in Daocheng County, Sichuan Province, on the supporting infrastructure for a state-of-the-art solar telescope, marking a major advancement in China’s pursuit of high-resolution solar observation.
The 2.5-meter Wide-field and High-resolution Solar Telescope is a national-level research project, spearheaded by Nanjing University in collaboration with the Nanjing Institute of Astronomical Optics and Technology and the Yunnan Observatories, both affiliated with the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
The main construction of the telescope began in 2022. Once completed, it will hold the distinction of being the world’s largest axisymmetric solar telescope.
Located at an altitude of 4,700 meters on an unnamed mountain in Daocheng County, the site was selected for its outstanding atmospheric stability and ideal conditions for solar research.
This high-altitude location is set to become the highest solar observatory on Earth, laying the groundwork for collecting world-class solar observational data.
The supporting infrastructure and telescope assembly are expected to be completed by the end of 2026, after which the system will undergo thorough commissioning and testing.
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