Supporting infrastructure construction began Tuesday for a cutting-edge solar telescope in Daocheng County, southwest China’s Sichuan Province, marking a major milestone toward a new era of high-resolution solar observation.
The 2.5-meter Wide-field and High-resolution Solar Telescope, a national-level scientific research project, is led by Nanjing University in collaboration with the Nanjing Institute of Astronomical Optics and Technology and the Yunnan Observatories under the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
Construction of the telescope officially began in 2022. Once completed, it will be the world’s largest axisymmetric solar telescope.
Strategically located at 4,700 meters above sea level on an unnamed mountain in Daocheng County, the site offers exceptionally stable atmospheric conditions, making it ideal for solar observation.
This location is set to become the highest-altitude solar observatory in the world, laying the foundation for acquiring world-class solar observation data.
The supporting infrastructure and telescope installation are expected to be completed by the end of 2026, followed by comprehensive system testing and commissioning.