|
China builds sharpest eye to peer at sun
By Yu Zheng (Xinhua)
Updated: 2005-07-13 07:06
Chinese astronomers have built the world's sharpest space solar telescope
(SST), which is scheduled to be launched into space in 2008 to observe the
macular outburst in the following year.
Jin Shengzhen, a leading astronomer who leads the ambitious project, said
Tuesday in an exclusive interview with Xinhua, "Our telescope, with the highest
capability in optical resolution, will collect the most comprehensive solar
scientific data for the earth."
The SST, with a couple of one meter-caliber main optical telescopes, will be
carried into the 730 km-high sun synchronous orbit.
The two-ton advanced system, including two main optical telescopes, X-ray
telescopes, a wide-band spectrograph, a helium spectrum telescope and a radio
spectrograph, are designed to work three years in space after the launch.
The satellite-like telescope, five meters in length, two
meters in width and two meters in height, cost 80 million yuan (9.66 million US
dollars) to build.
"The sophisticated orbiter will scan a round size, with a
diameter of 70 kilometers, on the solar surface," said Jin, principal
investigator with the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) National Astronomical
Observatories, adding that the SST's resolution capability is ten times that of
the on-duty US solar telescope, SOHO.
|
 | | | Special police detachment established in Xi'an | | |  | | | Panda cubs doing well in Wolong | | |  | | | Suspect arrested in Taiwan | | |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
Today's
Top News |
|
|
|
Top China
News |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
