China’s heaviest self-manufactured astronomical telescope will be soon put to use in Lhasa. Astrophiles will be able to observe the universe through it for free by May 2015.
Lhasa, the city on the Tibetan Plateau, has particularly favorable natural conditions for astronomical observation throughout the year, thanks to its high altitude and crystal clear air.
With a 1-m diameter lens, the telescope was independently designed and developed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences and National Astronomical Observatories of China (NAOC).
The to-be-completed telescope will be delivered into the planetarium within Tibet Museum of Natural Sciences, which is under construction and designed to cover an area of 1,500 square meters.