The Highest Observatory On Earth Is Now Open (space.com) 14
The world's highest astronomical site is officially open for business after being in the works for 26 years. Space.com reports: The Japanese University of Tokyo Atacama Observatory, or TAO, which was first conceptualized 26 years ago to study the evolution of galaxies and exoplanets, is perched on top of a tall mountain in the Chilean Andes at 5,640 meters (18,500 feet) above sea level. The facility's altitude surpasses even the Atacama Large Millimeter Array, which is at an elevation of 5,050 meters (16,570 feet).
TAO is located on the summit of Atacama's Cerro Chajnantor mountain, whose name means "place of departure" in the now-extinct Kunza language of the indigenous Likan Antai community. The region's high altitude, sparse atmosphere and perennially arid climate is deadly to humans, but makes an excellent spot for infrared telescopes like TAO as their observational accuracies rely on low moisture levels, which render Earth's atmosphere transparent in infrared wavelengths.
TAO's 6.5-meter telescope consists of two science instruments designed to observe the universe in infrared, which is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength longer than visible light but shorter than microwaves. One of the instruments, named SWIMS, will image galaxies from the very early universe to understand how they coalesced out of pristine dust and gas, a process whose specifics remain murky despite decades of research. The second, named MIMIZUKU, will aid the overarching science goal by studying primordial disks of dust within which stars and galaxies are known to form, according to the mission plan. Constructing the telescope on the summit of Mt. Chajnantor "was an incredible challenge, not just technically, but politically too," Yuzuru Yoshii, a professor at the University of Tokyo in Japan who spearheaded TAO since 1998, said in a statement. "I have liaised with Indigenous peoples to ensure their rights and views are considered, the Chilean government to secure permission, local universities for technical collaboration, and even the Chilean Health Ministry to make sure people can work at that altitude in a safe manner."
"Thanks to all involved, research I've only ever dreamed about can soon become a reality, and I couldn't be happier," he added.
TAO is located on the summit of Atacama's Cerro Chajnantor mountain, whose name means "place of departure" in the now-extinct Kunza language of the indigenous Likan Antai community. The region's high altitude, sparse atmosphere and perennially arid climate is deadly to humans, but makes an excellent spot for infrared telescopes like TAO as their observational accuracies rely on low moisture levels, which render Earth's atmosphere transparent in infrared wavelengths.
TAO's 6.5-meter telescope consists of two science instruments designed to observe the universe in infrared, which is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength longer than visible light but shorter than microwaves. One of the instruments, named SWIMS, will image galaxies from the very early universe to understand how they coalesced out of pristine dust and gas, a process whose specifics remain murky despite decades of research. The second, named MIMIZUKU, will aid the overarching science goal by studying primordial disks of dust within which stars and galaxies are known to form, according to the mission plan. Constructing the telescope on the summit of Mt. Chajnantor "was an incredible challenge, not just technically, but politically too," Yuzuru Yoshii, a professor at the University of Tokyo in Japan who spearheaded TAO since 1998, said in a statement. "I have liaised with Indigenous peoples to ensure their rights and views are considered, the Chilean government to secure permission, local universities for technical collaboration, and even the Chilean Health Ministry to make sure people can work at that altitude in a safe manner."
"Thanks to all involved, research I've only ever dreamed about can soon become a reality, and I couldn't be happier," he added.
The highest (Score:2)
Is it on Cypress Hill?
I'm sick of political posturing (Score:5, Interesting)
I'm 100% on board with indigenous peoples having rights, but I'm so sick of everyone having to pretend they give a shit beyond that in order to get anything done.
My kids' school, local radio stations, and god knows what else are constantly making statements about acknowledging they're on the traditional land of whatever the local tribe was 100 years ago. It's meaningless performance bullshit - if that land ownership claim was actually respected, the title would be handed back. I don't see anybody doing that.
The idea that you have to check and make sure some specific cultural group doesn't want to claim a mountain peak as 'sacred' before you build a telescope on it is just offensive to me. If the land ownership claim is recognized, then you deal with them. If not, and the appropriate government permits and public consultation period requirements are taken care of... just build.
Re: (Score:2, Troll)
It occasionally happens [apnews.com]. That aside, I generally agree with you. Either you own the land or you don't. "Sacred" is generally a silly concept.
Re:I'm sick of political posturing (Score:5, Insightful)
Either you own the land or you don't. "Sacred" is generally a silly concept.
Considering the number of treaties the U.S. has with Native American nations which have been completely ignored, it's a bit difficult to claim you own the land when the other side doesn't keep their word. I'm certain the same exists in Chile and other South American countries.
If you realy want to go down the rabbit hole of ownership, look at how many Palestinians have been ejected from their land by Israeli occupying forces despite showing clear ownership going back to before Israel even existed.
Re:I'm sick of political posturing (Score:5, Informative)
Here in Arizona, the first European settlers walked into a war between the agrarian Hopi and the invading Navajo, who eventually ended up with most of the land. Before them the Hopi and Apache peoples took the land of the precedent Sinagua, who stole it from the Clovis people before hem. It is not known yet whether the Clovis came over across the primordial land bridge from Asia, or whether they had to wrest it from the Beringians.
Re: (Score:3)
It is not known yet whether the Clovis came over across the primordial land bridge from Asia...
Actually, ten years ago the University of Cambridge proved that the Clovis people came from Asia by sequencing the DNA from one of the only known Clovis remains, found in Montana. The research information can be found here: Out of Asia: ancient genome lays to rest origins of Americas’ first humans [cam.ac.uk]
Re: (Score:1)
It is not known yet whether the Clovis came over across the primordial land bridge from Asia...
Actually, ten years ago the University of Cambridge proved that the Clovis people came from Asia by sequencing the DNA from one of the only known Clovis remains, found in Montana. The research information can be found here: Out of Asia: ancient genome lays to rest origins of Americas’ first humans [cam.ac.uk]
I remember seeing some research that did the same with indigenous from the artic and found that their nearest relatives was a small isolated group on a small Japanese island. There is no such thing as a "Native American". The whole concept of "race" is faulty when as far as we can tell everyone originated in Africa. Because some mutations occurred in an effort to help a group cope with their environments' solar radiation or lack there of, doesn't make them fundamentally different.
The project website shows its age (Score:1)
5 inch telescope (Score:2)
IR vs Visible vs Microwave... (Score:1)
"... infrared, which is electromagnetic radiation with a wavelength longer than visible light but shorter than microwaves"
Oooookay.
All visible light (and invisible IR) has a wavelength shorter than microwaves.
It's like saying "100 is greater than 10, but it is also greater than 1".
It doesn't really say anything...