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Chinese astronomers want to create a spacecraft on the Tibetan Plateau

More than 2.5 miles away, Lenghu is “known for its striking clouds,” says Licai Deng, a Chinese Academy of Science scientist and co-author of the study. “At the same time, the Lenghu area has a spectacular landscape like Mars.” Deng said the local government, which is keen to attract tourists to astronomy and geography, has hired a team to explore the area and see if it can be a good place to build a resort.

Four key factors affect the potential for space exploration. The first is whether or not it has a well-defined atmosphere — meaning that there are no solid clouds, as well as little light pollution. Second is the stability of the local air and weather – as well as how the atmosphere can affect the viewing and infrared atmosphere at night (even the tiniest particles in the atmosphere can be confusing). The third is that the site is connected to the infrastructure (such as power) and can be accessed without much hassle. Lastly, you want a place where the night sky will be protected from human activity.

A high altitude like Lenghu is a fascinating sight for astronomers, as it is only a small part of the galaxy’s gaze to observe. The researchers monitored the Lenghu area for three years, measuring the darkness of the sky, the weather, the shape of the sky, and much more. It was found that the site scored four goals in four areas as well as other areas consulted on the Tibetan Plateau. Researchers think that it may be better than the existing ones in Hawaii and Chile. The temporary flexibility of the atmosphere is the vibration of the atmosphere, and the sky looks a little better. The amount of water vapor in the atmosphere is also low, which contributes mainly to the infrared visibility required for celestial objects. Nearly 30 years of weather history shows an average rainfall of 0.71 inches per year. “In this case, Lenghu has the opportunity to have a bigger space,” says Deng.

Over time, Lenghu may be more protected from the pressures of human activity than from Hawaii or Chile. The city enacted legislation in 2017 to protect the atmosphere, so damage to property should remain minimal.

“The results found on Lenghu’s page are much better than those found in Mauna Kea, which is known to be one of the best in the world,” he said. Paul Hickson, an astronomer at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, who has previously experimented with space in Dome A in Antarctica. “One of the things that really excites the site is the interest that controls light damage.”

In other words, this new study confirms China’s current astronomical plans for the area around Lenghu. The plans include a 2.5-meter telescope testing camera launched this year, a one-meter solar telescope that will be part of eight global telescopes, and two more at 1.8 meters and 0.8 meters, of planetary science.

As Deng points out, Tsinghua University and the University of Arizona are working together to build 6.5 meter telescope working on the Saishiteng Mountain convention. And there are recent plans for a 12-meter telescope to be found there. “It’s going to be very crowded on top of the mountain,” says Deng.

These devices will help China get to the map where the astronomical and electronic systems are affected — they are connected to “big” telescopes used in places like Chile. But it is gray compared to the “largest” observatories being built around the world, such as the 24.5-meter Giant Magellan Telescope in Chile, the 30-meter-wide telescope in Hawaii, and the 39.3-meter-tall Chile Telescope. The kind of science that these devices can do is expected to usher in a new era of astronomy. If China is serious about launching a space program, it must find it very quickly.

It is a good thing, then, that it has the Tibetan Valley. Hickson observes: “The towering, dry, and sparse mountains are the most important sources of information for astronomy. “There may be other places, perhaps the best, in the Tibetan valley that are still unknown.”


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