Disclaimer: machine translated by DeepL which may contain errors.
The University of Tokyo's Atacama Observatory (TAO) Telescope Site Completion Ceremony was held
Takashi Miyata (Director of Atacama Observatory / Professor, Institute of Astronomy)
A ceremony was held in Santiago City, Chile, on April 30, 2024 to celebrate the completion of the University of Tokyo Atacama Observatory (TAO) site in Chile. It was a grand event attended by a total of 202 people, mostly from Japan and Chile. Thirty-five people from The University of Tokyo attended.
The University of Tokyo's Atacama Astronomical Observatory (TAO) Telescope Site Tour
At the commemorative ceremony, President Teruo Fujii and TAO Project Director Yuzuru Yoshii of The University of Tokyo gave a brief history of the completion of the site and thanked everyone for their support. The Chilean Minister of Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation, the Vice Minister of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, the Ambassador of Japan to Chile, and the Director of the Astronomy Division of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Chile expressed their expectations for future research. The reception was followed by a "Kagamibiraki" (breaking open the barrel of a sake barrel), and the event proceeded in a friendly atmosphere from start to finish. The reception concluded with the words "Viva Chile" by Dean Shinichi Okoshi of the Graduate School and Faculty of Science.
After the ceremony, a TAO telescope site tour was held for the Japanese participants, 40 of whom carried oxygen on their backs to see the completed building at 5,640 m elevation and the enclosure built to protect the TAO telescope from the harsh environment. A demonstration of the enclosure's operation was also given. It was windy and snowy on the day of the tour, and we were able to experience some of the hardships faced by the workers who were unexpectedly responsible for the construction of the building. Everyone had big smiles on their faces when they ate cup noodles at the top of the mountain.
Through this ceremony, we hope that many of you were able to understand the 26-year history of the TAO project. We look forward to your continued understanding and support.
Published in The Rigakubu News July 2024