China plans to build the world's largest astronomy center by the mid-2030s.
The project will be located on the summit of Mount Saishiten in Qinghai Province, where one of Earth's most powerful optical telescopes is currently under construction.
According to Oxu.Az citing the South China Morning Post, Deng Licai, chief scientific director of the National Astronomical Observatories of China (NAOC) in Beijing, stated: "The facility will house telescopes with diameters ranging from 6.5 to 14.5 meters, along with dozens of smaller observation instruments."
"Their total light-gathering capacity is expected to surpass that of telescopes on Mauna Kea in Hawaii," he added.
Preparation of the site, polishing of mirrors, and development of equipment for the 14.5-meter Large Optical Telescope (LOT) and the 6.5-meter Multi-Object Survey Telescope (MUST) have already begun. Both telescopes are scheduled to be operational by 2030.
