Construction of supporting infrastructure for a cutting-edge solar telescope began Tuesday in Daocheng County in southwest China's Sichuan Province, marking a significant step toward a new era of high-resolution solar observation, reports Xinhua.
The project, known as the 2.5-meter Wide-field and High-resolution Solar Telescope, is a major national scientific initiative spearheaded by Nanjing University. It is being developed in collaboration with the Nanjing Institute of Astronomical Optics and Technology and the Yunnan Observatories, both of which are part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
The telescope's construction officially started in 2022 and, once finished, it will hold the title of the world’s largest axisymmetric solar telescope.
Strategically situated at an elevation of 4,700 meters on an unnamed mountain in Daocheng County, the chosen site boasts exceptional atmospheric stability and solar observation conditions.
This location is poised to become the world's highest solar observatory, providing a critical foundation for acquiring world-class observational data.
Construction of the supporting infrastructure and telescope assembly is scheduled for completion by the end of 2026, followed by comprehensive system commissioning and testing.
Bd-pratidin English/ ANI
