China installs the largest telescope in Antarctica

Researchers from China's 28th Antarctic team on April 18 said the country has completed the installation and testing of the Antarctic AST3-1 Exploration Telescope in this icy continent.

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AST3-1 is the first Chinese-made automatic telescope, which can conduct surveys for supernovae as well as celestial bodies other than the solar system (extrasolar).

Li Zhengyang, an expedition team member, said AST3-1 is 4.5m high, making it the largest optical telescope in Antarctica.

In January 2008, China installed CSTAR study telescope at Dome A at the Antarctic Plateau, one of the coldest spots on Earth.

This telescope has collected a massive amount of astronomical data over the past four years.

According to the deputy head of China's Antarctic group, the country will in turn install two other telescopes of learning in 2013 and 2014.

He asserted that although China has only just begun work on exploring Antarctic astronomy, great progress has been made.

Since using the Dome A observation point, more countries have expressed their willingness to cooperate with China.