SHANGHAI, China: China is preparing to install a new telescope array around the South Pole and its prototype has just finished testing on the icy continent.
Named the new project ‘the Antarctic TianMu Time-domain Astronomical Observation Array,’ the forthcoming project will comprise 100 small-diameter, large-field telescopes strategically positioned in the Antarctic region. Each telescope will cover an expansive 10,000-square-degree sky area.
Designers from the Shanghai Astronomical Observatory (SHAO), affiliated with the Chinese Academy of Sciences, envision these optical telescopes engaging in continuous observations throughout the polar night annually.
During China’s 39th Antarctic scientific expedition, the array’s prototype was transported to the Zhongshan Station. The expedition, which commenced in late October 2022, spanned over 163 days, covering more than 60,000 nautical miles with the assistance of two Chinese icebreakers.
Commencing on February 20, 2023, the prototype executed trouble-free observations for an impressive 248 consecutive days, yielding a substantial volume of data during the extended Antarctic polar night.
—Xinhua/APP
