University of Tokyo Atacama Observatory
Encyclopedia
The University of Tokyo Atacama Observatory (TAO) is an astronomical observatory
located on the summit of Cerro Chajnantor
, a 5640 meter (18,500 feet) lava dome
in the Atacama Desert
of northern Chile
. The site is located less than 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) north-northeast of the Llano de Chajnantor Observatory
, where the Atacama Large Millimeter Array
(ALMA) is under construction, but is over 580 m (1900 ft) higher in elevation.
The eventual goal of the project is to install a 6.5 m optical
-infrared
telescope at the site. A first step towards that goal has been the construction and installation of a 1 m pilot telescope, called miniTAO, completed in 2009. With first light achieved in March 2009 in the visible region, and infrared imaging underway as of June 2009, the observatory has become the highest permanent astronomical observatory in the world.
to compensate for atmospheric turbulence. A third mirror will allow switching between several instruments. There will be a Cassegrain focus for the mid-infrared range, a Nasmyth focus for the near-infrared range and another Nasmyth focus for far-infrared.
Observatory
An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geology, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed...
located on the summit of Cerro Chajnantor
Purico Complex
The Purico Complex is a pyroclastic shield located in the eastern part of the Atacama desert in Chile's II Region , approximately south of the Bolivia - Chile border...
, a 5640 meter (18,500 feet) lava dome
Lava dome
|250px|thumb|right|Image of the [[rhyolitic]] lava dome of [[Chaitén Volcano]] during its 2008–2009 eruption.In volcanology, a lava dome is a roughly circular mound-shaped protrusion resulting from the slow extrusion of viscous lava from a volcano...
in the Atacama Desert
Atacama Desert
The Atacama Desert is a plateau in South America, covering a strip of land on the Pacific coast, west of the Andes mountains. It is, according to NASA, National Geographic and many other publications, the driest desert in the world...
of northern Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
. The site is located less than 5 kilometres (3.1 mi) north-northeast of the Llano de Chajnantor Observatory
Llano de Chajnantor Observatory
Llano de Chajnantor Observatory is an astronomical observatory located at an altitude of 5,104 m in the Chilean Atacama desert, 50 kilometers to the east of San Pedro de Atacama. It is a very dry site - inhospitable to humans - but an excellent site for submillimetre astronomy...
, where the Atacama Large Millimeter Array
Atacama Large Millimeter Array
The Atacama Large Millimeter/sub-millimeter Array is an array of radio telescopes in the Atacama desert of northern Chile. Since a high and dry site is crucial to millimeter wavelength operations, the array is being constructed on the Chajnantor plateau at 5000 metres altitude...
(ALMA) is under construction, but is over 580 m (1900 ft) higher in elevation.
The eventual goal of the project is to install a 6.5 m optical
Optical telescope
An optical telescope is a telescope which is used to gather and focus light mainly from the visible part of the electromagnetic spectrum for directly viewing a magnified image for making a photograph, or collecting data through electronic image sensors....
-infrared
Infrared astronomy
Infrared astronomy is the branch of astronomy and astrophysics that studies astronomical objects visible in infrared radiation. The wavelength of infrared light ranges from 0.75 to 300 micrometers...
telescope at the site. A first step towards that goal has been the construction and installation of a 1 m pilot telescope, called miniTAO, completed in 2009. With first light achieved in March 2009 in the visible region, and infrared imaging underway as of June 2009, the observatory has become the highest permanent astronomical observatory in the world.
Description
The telescope’s primary mirror will have a 6,5 m diameter and will be siver-coated. The secondary mirror will be equipped with adaptive opticsAdaptive optics
Adaptive optics is a technology used to improve the performance of optical systems by reducing the effect of wavefront distortions. It is used in astronomical telescopes and laser communication systems to remove the effects of atmospheric distortion, and in retinal imaging systems to reduce the...
to compensate for atmospheric turbulence. A third mirror will allow switching between several instruments. There will be a Cassegrain focus for the mid-infrared range, a Nasmyth focus for the near-infrared range and another Nasmyth focus for far-infrared.
External links
- The University of Tokyo Atacama Observatory Project (English translation) includes numerous photos of observatory construction