China Focus: China's great changes seen through telescope

Source: Xinhua| 2018-12-30 21:14:49|Editor: Chengcheng
Video PlayerClose

By Xinhua writers Yu Fei, Han Song and Hu Zhe

BEIJING, Dec. 30 (Xinhua) -- When China started in 1931 to build the Purple Mountain Observatory (PMO), its first modern observatory, shortage of funds was the biggest problem.

That year also saw the Japanese invading northeast China and serious floods in south China. The construction of the observatory was completed three years later.

Its earliest astronomical instruments are still preserved on the picturesque peak of the Purple Mountain in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province, but they are mainly used to promote science, attracting many visitors every year.

Although the observatory is still named after the Purple Mountain, its observation stations are distributed more widely: from eastern Shandong to northwestern Qinghai, from northeastern Heilongjiang to southwestern Yunnan, and even in Antarctica.

SYMBOL OF MODERN HISTORY

The observatory has become one of the most influential institutions in China's daily life.

It provides the exact time of the sun rising and setting every day and the 24 solar terms, the seasonal division points in the traditional Chinese calendar.

One of the original purposes of establishing the observatory was to promulgate the country's own calendar.

Ships from the world's second largest economy sail the globe using the nautical almanac compiled by the PMO. The observatory also offers the basis for setting the time to raise the national flag in Tian'anmen Square in Beijing.

Its astronomers have intensified the monitoring of space debris.

"We can make an accurate early warning of falling space debris," said Zhan Jinwei, assistant researcher at the PMO department of applied astromechanics and space debris.

It also provides collision avoidance advice for growing numbers of Chinese spacecraft.

All this is possible only with advanced observatory equipment, which was rarely available to previous generations of Chinese astronomers.

The International Astronomical Union invited China to join the measurement of earth's longitude and latitude in the 1930s. But Chinese astronomers failed to participate as they couldn't prepare the instruments in time.

In order to observe the total solar eclipse in 1941, Chinese astronomers overcame many difficulties to raise money to buy a telescope from the United States, but it was blown up by Japanese aircraft after it was shipped to Hong Kong.

Now the PMO has developed an advanced satellite, Dark Matter Particle Explorer (DAMPE), under cooperation with other research institutes and universities with an investment of about 700 million yuan (about 100 million U.S. dollars).

The observatory is constructing another satellite, expected to be launched around 2022, to study the sun.

Together with other organizations, the PMO is also pushing forward construction of an observatory in Antarctica with an estimated investment of over 1 billion yuan.

The study of astronomy was once regarded as the domain of the nobility. Its significant increase in funding in recent years is a result of the growing comprehensive strength of China, said Wu Xuefeng, deputy dean of the PMO academy of astronomy and space science.

The biggest change was brought about by the reform and opening up inaugurated in 1978. At that time, China's economic aggregate accounted for less than 2 percent of the world's total, compared with 15 percent today.

To achieve innovation-driven development, both applied science and basic science have received more investment.

"The PMO is a symbol of China's modern history," said Wu.

CHINESE ANSWERS

Chinese astronomers today do many things their predecessors could only dream of.

During wartime in the 1940s, the PMO was moved to the southwestern Yunnan Province, and it was impossible for the astronomers to conduct any observation. They could only study old data, and achieved limited results.

"We are now carrying out a project to paint a portrait of the Milky Way by using a millimeter-wave telescope in Delingha, Qinghai Province. We aim to probe the distribution, structure and physical properties of molecular clouds to get a relatively complete picture of the structure of the Milky Way," said Mao Ruiqing, deputy director of the PMO.

Nearly 70 percent of the ambitious project is completed, he said.

Chen Dengyi, 30, is working on the detector of the second-generation dark matter satellite in the new PMO laboratory.

When China's first dark matter satellite, DAMPE, was launched in 2015, Chen was monitoring the data at the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. "I cried with excitement when I got the news that the solar panels of the satellite had unfolded successfully," said Chen.

Fan Yizhong, deputy chief engineer of the application system of DAMPE, was born in a rural area in 1977. He would not have gone to college without the financial support of his brother who went to work in Shenzhen, the city that pioneered China's reform and opening-up.

Fan first majored in engineering, which he believed would earn more money. But he later decided to follow his interest and he went to Nanjing University to study astronomy.

"I was influenced by Stephen Hawking," said Fan.

"How was the universe born? Why does intelligent life exist? How is consciousness generated? Are there other universes? Chinese also want to answer these questions," said Wu.

The Chinese telescopes on the Antarctic ice sheet might help find some answers. Since 2007, two survey telescopes have been installed at an automatic observation station at Dome A and the third is planned for 2019.

With these telescopes, Chinese astronomers have received optical signals relevant to the gravitational wave generated by the merging of two neutron stars, which was discovered for the first time in 2017. They also found more than 100 candidates for extra-solar planets.

SHARED FUTURE

"Openness and cooperation are very important for astronomical research," said Shi Shengcai, director of the PMO department of Antarctic astronomy and radio astronomy.

The PMO joined the International Asteroid Warning Network under the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space in 2018.

Since 2006, astronomers have used a PMO telescope in Xuyi, east China's Jiangsu Province, to search for near-earth asteroids.

"An early warning system for near-earth asteroids with potential threat is one of the contributions made by the PMO to the shared future of humanity," said Ji Jianghui, a researcher at the PMO department of planetary science and deep space exploration.

The PMO telescopes in Antarctica complement monitoring systems in Europe and the United States.

"Since 2000, about a third of our students have been able to study aboard. Astronomers from other countries came to our observatory to conduct joint research," said Wu.

Some PMO astronomers also participated in the European Space Agency's Rosetta mission to explore a comet in 2014.

"The solar system might be hard to inhabit in future, and we have to search for earth-like planets," Wu said. "We found a habitable planet several hundred light years away. The development of science and technology might one day help humans migrate there."

(Wang Juebin contributed to this story.)

KEY WORDS:
EXPLORE XINHUANET
010020070750000000000000011100001377091761
极速快3 大发app 凤凰彩票app 乐发iv游戏平台 凤凰彩票大厅 乐发彩票 乐发彩票app下载 大发彩票 乐发v官网 乐发lll 乐发lv入口 乐发iv首页 乐发ll登录 凤凰彩票大厅 乐发官网 乐发ii下载入口 乐发ll 乐发v平台 乐发v官网 乐发lll 乐发lv入口 乐发iv首页 乐发ll登录 乐发lv 乐发lll安装 乐发lv 乐发登录入口 乐发iv游戏平台 凤凰彩票登录 网信彩票 彩神 彩神彩票官方网站 彩神彩票官网首页 彩神官方app下载安卓版 凤凰彩票登录 彩神v3 凤凰彩票app下载 彩神官方app下载安卓版 网信快三 一分快3 快三彩票购彩平台 凤凰彩票官方 快3官网 网信彩票 快3app 网信彩票平台 百姓彩票平台 网信平台官网 快3app下载 百姓彩票 每日彩票 快3app 百姓彩票 每日彩票 快3app 百姓彩票平台 幸运5分彩快3 快3彩票app下载 百姓彩票网站网址 大发10分PK10 快3下载 网信彩票平台 网信平台官网 快3彩票官网app 凤凰彩票官方 彩神彩票 大发10分PK10 彩神v3 大发彩票app下载 百姓彩票网站网址 彩神购彩平台 每日彩票 官方正规快三彩票平台 彩神彩票购彩平台 百姓彩票 凤凰彩票购彩平台 凤凰彩票app下载 彩神官方app下载安卓版 网信快三 一分快3 快三彩票购彩平台 凤凰彩票官方 彩神彩票 大发10分PK10 彩神v3 凤凰彩票登录 乐发lv 乐发∨Il 百姓彩票网站网址 乐发彩票 乐发彩票官方网站 乐发lll安装 百姓彩票网站网址 凤凰彩票app下载 大发10分PK10 乐发2 乐发app 凤凰彩票 大发彩票app 乐发登录入口 乐发ll登录 乐发v官网 乐发官网 大发彩票app下载 凤凰彩票购彩平台 彩神彩票 官方正规快三彩票平台 一分快3 百姓彩票网站网址 凤凰彩票app下载 大发10分PK10 乐发2 乐发app 凤凰彩票 大发彩票app 乐发登录入口 乐发ll登录 乐发v官网 乐发官网 大发彩票app下载 凤凰彩票购彩平台 彩神彩票 官方正规快三彩票平台 1分快三平台 百姓彩票平台 凤凰彩票登录 幸运5分彩快3 彩神 乐发彩票 乐发 大发彩票 乐发iv游戏平台 乐发lv 乐发lll 乐发ii下载入口 乐发彩票官方网站 凤凰彩票官方网站 凤凰快3 彩神彩票官网首页 1分快三平台 百姓彩票平台 凤凰彩票登录 幸运5分彩快3 彩神 乐发彩票 乐发 大发彩票 乐发iv游戏平台 乐发lv 凤凰彩票app 乐发app 网信彩票平台 网信彩票平台 乐发iv游戏平台 凤凰彩票app 乐发lv 乐发彩票app下载 凤凰彩票app 网信彩票平台 乐发彩票app下载 乐发lv 乐发app 大发彩票安卓下载 大发彩票安卓下载 大发彩票 乐发彩票app下载 网信彩票平台 乐发iv游戏平台 彩神彩票 乐发彩票中心 极速快3彩票平台 人人快三凤凰 大发彩票app 大发彩票大全 乐发彩票 彩神彩票官方网站 乐发app 酷天堂彩票平台 凤凰彩票app下载 凤凰彩票大厅 凤凰彩票app 极速快3彩票平台 凤凰彩票 凤凰快3 乐发ll官网 乐发彩票中心 正规快三送彩金平台 凤凰彩票官方 乐发ll 乐发 网信彩票 彩神彩票 彩神彩票官方网站 大发彩票app 网信彩票用户 百姓快三 百姓彩票平台 乐发lv 乐发彩票app下载 彩信平台 网信彩票 乐发彩票官方网站 乐发∨Il 人人快三凤凰 凤凰彩票 凤凰快3 乐发ll官网 乐发彩票中心 正规快三送彩金平台 凤凰彩票官方 乐发ll 乐发 网信彩票 彩神彩票 彩神彩票官方网站 人人快三凤凰 乐发彩票 彩神彩票 乐发iv游戏平台 乐发彩票 大发彩票中心 凤凰彩票登录 凤凰彩票app 彩神彩票 大发彩票 乐发ll 大发彩票app 凤凰快3 凤凰彩票 彩神彩票 乐发ll 凤凰彩票 乐发lll 凤凰彩票大厅 网信彩票 彩神彩票 乐发lv 快盈彩票 乐发彩票官方网站 盈彩网投资平台 大发官网 一分时时彩 乐发lv 快3平台 凤凰快3 乐发ll 全民彩票 乐发彩票官方网站 百姓彩票 乐发彩票 大发彩票 极速快3 乐发app 大发官网 乐发lll 快3平台 凤凰快3 乐发ll 全民彩票 乐发彩票官方网站 百姓彩票 乐发彩票 大发彩票 极速快3 乐发app 彩神iv 大发彩票app 大小单双平台 一分pk10 乐发lv 快盈彩票 乐发官网 快彩彩票 百姓彩票 凤凰彩票大厅 网信彩票 乐发彩票中心 网信快3 乐发 彩神xl 三分快3 大发彩票 大发官网 乐发lll 快3平台 凤凰快3 乐发ll 全民彩票 乐发彩票官方网站 百姓彩票 乐发彩票 乐发彩票官方网站 大发彩票 乐发 分分快3 彩神vl 55世纪 55世纪 凤凰快3 乐发彩票 乐发lv welcome凤凰彩票 乐发ll 1分快3 彩神 彩神ll 1分快3官网 1分快3的平台 welcome凤凰彩票 三分快3 彩神x 彩神vl 凤凰彩票 彩神xl 大发彩票 凤凰彩票大厅 乐发官网 乐发ll 乐发lll 乐发lv 大发彩票app 大发彩票 乐发 乐发彩票 乐发彩票中心 凤凰快3 乐发彩票 彩神xl 腾讯快3 大发彩票 彩神xl 大发彩票 乐发彩票 大发彩票app 快3平台 乐发 1分快3 乐发彩票 彩神x 凤凰快3 彩神xl 彩吧助手 大发彩票app 快3平台 大发排列3 彩神iv 彩神vl 乐发IV 彩神x 一分pk10 大发排列3 乐发lv 快3彩票 乐发app下载 三分快3 快三平台助手 乐发彩票ll 彩神iv 乐发lll下载 盈彩网投资平台 乐发Ⅲ 一分pk10 凤凰彩票 乐发Vll 大发官网 乐发ll 大发彩票 乐发1 凤凰快3 彩神vl 乐发lx 百姓彩票 乐发VI 彩神x 乐发IV 极速快3 乐发 凤凰快3 网信快3 乐发lv 快3彩票 乐发app下载 三分快3 快三平台助手 乐发彩票ll 彩神iv 乐发lll下载 盈彩网投资平台 乐发Ⅲ 凤凰彩票大厅 乐发lv 乐发lv 乐发lv 凤凰彩票 大发彩票 大发彩票 凤凰彩票 乐发lv 凤凰彩票 凤凰彩票 乐发lv 乐发ll 凤凰彩票app下载 凤凰彩票 凤凰彩票 乐发lv 乐发ll 凤凰彩票app下载 凤凰彩票 凤凰彩票 乐发lv 彩神x 乐发 乐发ll 极速快3 乐发lv 乐发彩票中心 快3彩票 凤凰彩票大厅 彩神x 凤凰彩票app 分分快3 网信彩票 网盟彩票 凤凰彩票 百姓彩票 乐发 快彩彩票 乐发彩票 快3平台 百姓彩票 大小单双平台 凤凰快3 彩神xl 一分pk10 乐发lv 三分快3 大发彩票 乐发彩票 快3平台 百姓彩票 大小单双平台 凤凰快3 彩神xl 一分pk10 乐发lv 三分快3 大发彩票 极速快3 乐发ll 网信彩票 乐发lv 全民彩票 凤凰彩票app下载 快盈彩票 大发彩票app 大发官网 凤凰彩票 彩神iv 大发彩票 网信快3 凤凰彩票 百姓彩票