On April 30, 2024, the University of Tokyo Atacama Observatory (TAO) marked an important milestone with its official opening. Researchers hope this will solve some of the biggest mysteries, such as how planets form, how galaxies evolve, and ultimately how the universe was formed.

TAO is currently the highest astronomical observatory in the world with an altitude of 5,640 meters. This extraordinary height is expected to provide unique observation opportunities, but it also creates unique challenges.

Astronomers will make even greater efforts to get a better view of the universe. Going back hundreds of years, some of the first lenses were made for telescopes to bring the sky closer to the Earth. Since then, there have been optical telescopes with mirrors the size of buildings, radio telescopes with antennas stretching among mountaintops, and even a space telescope called the James Webb Space Telescope that is farther away than the moon. And now the University of Tokyo has unveiled another groundbreaking telescope, partly funded by the Japanese government.

The value of the height of TAO

After 26 years of planning and construction, TAO is finally operational. It is officially the highest observatory in the world, awarded by the Guinness Book of Records. Located in Chile’s Atacama Desert, this facility is close to the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) radio telescope, another well-known observatory frequently used by astronomers at Japanese institutions. So why would TAO be so high and what are the advantages and disadvantages of this factor?

“I try to explain the mysteries of the universe, such as dark energy and primitive primordial stars. To do this, you need to look at the sky in a way that is only possible at TAO,” said Professor Emeritus Yuzuru Yoshi, who has led the TAO project as principal investigator for 26 years since 1998. “Of course it involves state-of-the-art optics, sensors, electronics and mechanisms, but The uniquely high altitude of 5,640 meters gives TAO such clarity of view. At this altitude, there is not enough moisture in the atmosphere to affect infrared vision.

“Building the Cerro Cahnantor summit was an incredible challenge, not only technically but also politically. We worked with indigenous peoples to make sure their rights and views were taken into account, the Chilean government for permits, local universities for technical cooperation, and even making sure people could work safely at this altitude.” “Thanks to everyone involved, the research I’ve only dreamed of could soon become a reality and I couldn’t be happier.”

TAO’s incredible height makes working there difficult and dangerous for humans. The risk of altitude sickness is high not only during construction work, but even for astronomers working there, especially at night, when some symptoms may be worse. So the question is; Is it worth all the effort and expense? What kind of research will it offer to the astronomy community and thus to human knowledge?

“Thanks to its altitude and arid environment, TAO will be the only ground-based telescope in the world capable of clearly viewing the mid-infrared. This region of the spectrum is extremely good for studying the environment around stars, including planet-forming regions,” said Professor Takashi Miyata, Director of the Atacama Observatory at the Institute of Astronomy and head of observatory construction.

“Also, because TAO is operated by the University of Tokyo, our astronomers will have unrestricted access to it for long periods of time, which is important for many new types of astronomical research that investigate unobservable dynamical phenomena with shared rare telescopes… I have worked at TAO for over 20 years; a “As an astronomer, I’m really excited and the real observing work is about to begin.”

Technological and research innovations at TAO

There is a wide range of astronomical questions to which TAO can contribute, so researchers will be able to use its uniquely privileged tools in different ways. Some researchers even contribute to TAO by developing special tools for their own needs.

“Our team has developed the Simultaneous Color Wide-Field Infrared Multi-Object Spectrograph (SWIMS), a device that can observe a large region of the sky and simultaneously observe two wavelengths of light. This will allow us to effectively collect information about various galaxies, the fundamental structures that make up the universe. Analysis of SWIMS observation data will allow us to understand their formation, including the evolution of supermassive black holes at their centers,” said Associate Professor Masahiro Konishi. “New telescopes and instruments naturally contribute to the advancement of astronomy. I hope that future generations of astronomers will use TAO and other ground-based and space-based telescopes to make unexpected discoveries that will challenge our current understanding and explain the unexplainable.”

TAO’s future prospects and contributions

Because TAO is relatively affordable, more young astronomers will be able to use it than previous generations of telescopes. And as a next-generation telescope, TAO could offer new research talent the opportunity to express their ideas in a way not possible before.

“I’m using a variety of laboratory experiments to better understand the chemical nature of organic dust in the universe, which could help us learn more about the evolution of materials, including those that lead to the creation of life. The better astronomical observations of real things get, the better we can get at what we see in our experiments on Earth.” “TAO can be very helpful because we observe organic dust in the mid-infrared,” said graduate student Rico Senoo.

“Although I will be able to use TAO remotely in the future, I will be on site to help build our special instrument, the Mid-Infrared Multi-Field Imager for Observation of the Unknown Universe (MIMIZUKU). TAO is located in a remote area that I have never been able to visit in my daily life, so I really enjoy spending time there.” I can’t wait.”

There is no doubt that as time goes on, current and future astronomers will find more ways to make groundbreaking observations with TAO. The team hopes that the features that make it so new—the remote control, extremely precise instruments, and of course the fact that the high-precision telescope has been successfully designed to operate in a low-pressure environment—will inspire designers, engineers, and researchers. To enable researchers everywhere to contribute to astronomical observations.