A team from the Chinese Academy of Sciences has pinpointed a prime location on the Tibetan Plateau for what could become one of the world's most advanced telescopes. Their rigorous study, published in Nature, confirms the site excels in all critical criteria for a world-class observatory.
Today’s premier observatories cluster in the Western Hemisphere—Hawaii, Chile, and the Canary Islands—driving breakthroughs in astrophysics. Yet, global coverage remains incomplete, requiring coordinated efforts across sites to track events unfolding over a day, much like a relay race.
Vast regions in eastern Earth lack such facilities. A major observatory in central Asia would bridge this gap effectively.
China, home to numerous smaller telescopes but no flagship giants, is advancing a 30-meter aperture instrument—the second-largest after the European Extremely Large Telescope’s 42-meter primary mirror, set for completion in 2027.
Ultra-sensitive optical and infrared telescopes demand pristine conditions: minimal light pollution yet accessible; high elevation to minimize atmospheric distortion, but breathable air; low wind, dust, and water vapor to preserve infrared clarity.
Led by Licai Deng at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, researchers evaluated sites using meteorological and satellite data. The Tibetan Plateau, Earth’s highest region, stood out immediately.
Lenghu, with 3,500 annual sunshine hours and negligible rainfall, emerged as a contender—unconsidered until now. The team zeroed in on a nearby mountain peak over 1,500 meters above the town.
In 2018, instruments were deployed to monitor interfering weather factors. Three years of data revealed conditions rivaling the globe’s elite sites, such as Mauna Kea and Atacama.
Development is underway: a small operational telescope is already in place, with China’s largest 6.4-meter mirror observatory soon to follow.
