BEIJING: China is building an astronomical observatory that it expects to be the best in Asia and one of the most advanced in the world. The observatory coming up in Ngari in Tibet, near the Indian border, is expected to attract scientists from across the world once it is completed.
The facility will be the first observatory located above 5,000 metres above sea level in the northern hemisphere. It will be as advanced in terms of observation capability as the Mauna Kea Observatories in Hawaii (US), the observatories in the Andes (Chile) and one in the Canary Islands, state media said quoting experts. "According to recent observations, the astronomical sight in Ngari observatory can reach at least 0.8 arc seconds, matching that of the Mauna Kea Observatories and meeting the prerequisites for a world first-class observatory," it said quoting Norio Kaifu, president of the International Astronomical Union.
The "primary motivation in seeking a high-latitude location in China" is the shortage of world-class observatories in China, Kaifu was quoted as saying.
The observatory will sport a 50 cm telescope to observe celestial bodies in the solar system, the region of the formation of a star and variable stars, the official Xinhua news agency said.
