China introduces new radio telescope in Antarctica

By Berk Kutay Gokmen

ISTANBUL (AA) - China has introduced a new radio telescope at its scientific research station in Antarctica, Xinhua News reported on Monday.

The 3.2-meter aperture radio/millimeter-wave telescope named "Three Gorges Antarctic Eye" was officially commissioned at Zhongshan Station Thursday.

The telescope was jointly developed by China Three Gorges University and Shanghai Normal University, enhancing China’s position in Antarctic astronomy.

The telescope has begun observations of the Milky Way's neutral hydrogen and ammonia molecular spectral lines, providing crucial data to help uncover the dynamics of interstellar gas and the processes involved in star formation, the China Three Gorges University shared with Xinhua Monday.

"This telescope has broken through key technical bottlenecks in Antarctic observatory construction, laying the foundation for future submillimeter-wave telescopes in Antarctica," said Zhang Yi, an associate professor at Shanghai Normal University.

He noted that the device will increase observations across radio to low-frequency millimeter-wave bands, further driving technological advancements for next-generation Antarctic astronomy tools.

Despite the harsh weather conditions, Beijing has been progressively enhancing its astronomical capabilities in Antarctica, taking advantage of the continent's pristine atmospheric conditions for infrared and millimeter-wave observations.