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Robotic Telescope Installed on Antarctica Plateau

Posted by ryuzaki0 on from the j-j-j-just-a-b-b-bit-n-n-n-nippy dept.

Reservoir Hill writes "Antarctica claims some of the best astronomical sky conditions in the world — devoid of clouds with steady air that makes for clear viewing. The very best conditions unfortunately lie deep in the interior on a high-altitude plateau called Dome A. With an elevation of up to 4,093m, it's known as the most unapproachable point in the earth's southernmost region. Now astronomers in a Chinese scientific expedition have set up an experimental observatory at Dome A after lugging their equipment across Antarctica with the help of Australia and the US. The observatory will hunt for alien planets, while also measuring the observing conditions at the site to see if it is worth trying to build bigger observatories there. The observatory is automated, pointing its telescopes on its own while astronomers monitor its progress from other locations around the world via satellite link. PLATO is powered by a gas generator, and has a 4000-litre tank of jet fuel to keep it running through the winter. The observatory will search for planets around other stars using an array of four 14.5-centimetre telescopes called the Chinese Small Telescope Array (CSTAR). Astronomers hope to return in 2009 with new instruments, including the Antarctica Schmidt Telescopes (AST-3), a trio of telescopes with 0.5-metre mirrors, which will be more sensitive to planets than CSTAR."

3 of 128 comments (clear)

  1. Re:Lots o' jet fuel by pipatron · · Score: 2, Interesting

    Why did you not consider wind power? I'd imagine it would be quite strong and even winds there, and no neighbours to whine about the ruined view.

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  2. Re:some information on the computer control system by dargaud · · Score: 3, Interesting
    Hello Michael, are you still running your experiments at Dome C ? I haven't been there since late 2005 and I haven't been following closely.

    Do you expect the seeing to be significantly better at Dome A than Dome C ? Do you know if the turbulent layer is lower than the 30m of Dome C ? Is there winter weather information available since the chinese first set foot there in 2005 (I'd expect they left an AWS) ?

    I hope you have improved the reliability of your equipment and that it didn't get too banged up during transportation. Anyway, good luck with this experiment. Has the traverse team turned tail already ?

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  3. Re:some information on the computer control system by Michael+Ashley · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Hi Guillaume, good to hear from you! (Slashdotters - do yourself a favour and visit Guillaume's website and have a look at some of his amazing photos). We aren't currently running anything at Dome C. Dome A is likely to have similar seeing to Dome C above the boundary layer, but the layer is expected to be lower, possibly touching the ice. That is one of PLATO's prime goals - to measure the height of the boundary layer with a sonic radar.

    The Chinese took an Australian Antarctic Division AWS to Dome A in 2005.

    Yes, the reliability of our equipment continues to improve. It is now even better than the stuff we took to Dome C!

    We mounted everything on shock absorbers to survive the 1200 km sled trip. There was no damage.

    The traverse team should arrive back in Zhongshan station today.