The Xinjiang Astronomical Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences will install a new optical telescope in the Pamir Mountains, making it the country's third largest telescope. The telescope will be placed at the Muztagh observatory in Aketao County, south of Xinjiang.
The telescope, which will be placed at the observatory at an altitude of 4 thousand 520 meters, will reach the best view of 0,4 seconds, which means the sharpness of the image. Wang Na, director of the Xinjiang Astronomical Observatory, said that in winter, the moisture content in the atmosphere in the region is usually less than two millimeters, and the towering Mount Kongur blocks light interference from cities. Wang noted that excellent optical observation conditions at Muztagh are quite rare in the country and are comparable to optical observatories around the world.
Saying that the 1,9-meter optical telescope will be the third largest universal optical telescope in China and will start its research in June 2024, Wang said that the Xinjiang Astronomical Observatory will attract larger astronomical projects to the Muztagh region, thereby making it a world-class astronomical observation and research base. He added that he hopes to bring