JAKARTA - The University of Tokyo established the Atacama Tokyo Observatory (TAO) in the Atacama Desert, precisely on Mount Chajnantor. The observatory was just inaugurated on April 30 after construction for 26 years. TAO is at an altitude of 18,500 feet and its optical infrared telescope, which measures 6.5 meters, is the highest in the world. This observatory has beaten the record of the Chacaltaya Observatory located on Mount Chacaltaya with a height of 17,191 feet. Apart from Chacaltaya, there are three other observatories holding record heights, namely the James Exe Observatory with a height of 17,100 feet, the Atacama Cosmology Telescope with an altitude of 17,030 feet, and the Llano de Chajnantor Observatory with a height of 16,700 feet. Tokyo University deliberately established an observatory in a very high place. This needs to be done so that its humidity gets less and telescopes at TAO can observe the entire near-infrared wavelength very clearly. The telescope owned by TAO is able to take images with the highest resolution so that it will be used to study the birth of galaxies and planetary origins. The TAO telescope will also conduct other cutting-edge science research.

Through the official website of the University of Tokyo, it was explained that the opening ceremony of TAO was attended by various important figures, such as the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology and the Ministry of Science, Technology, Science and Innovation of Chile. In addition, there is the Ministry of Science, Technology, Science and Innovation of Chile, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Chile, the Japanese Embassy in Chile, several Japanese companies, and hundreds of people from the University of Tokyo. Although the building has been inaugurated, all scientific observations will be carried out by 2025. After observations begin, scientists will observe the space from the TAO base facility and remote observation space at the Astronomy Institute in Japan.


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