Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope 中国天眼FAST

About Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope

Visitors see the working radio telescope from the managed observation area. The astronomy experience hall offers models and scientific interpretation, while the Nan Rendong memorial introduces the scientist associated with the project. These visitor spaces have different access conditions: the telescope observation zone requires electronic devices to be left behind to protect radio observations.

The telescope was first proposed in 1994, and the project was approved by China's National Development and Reform Commission in July 2007. A 65-person village was relocated from the valley to make room for the dish, and an additional 9,110 people living within a 5 km radius were relocated to create a radio-quiet area; the government spent about US$269 million in poverty-relief funds and bank loans on the relocations, while construction of the telescope itself cost US$180 million.

A foundation-laying ceremony was held on 26 December 2008, and construction started in March 2011; the last of the reflector's panels was installed on 3 July 2016. Testing began without the active primary reflector, which was first fixed in shape and used the Earth's rotation to scan the sky, with early observations concentrated at lower frequencies while the active surface was calibrated. The project's chief scientist and chief engineer was Nan Rendong, a researcher with the Chinese National Astronomical Observatory, who died in Boston on 15 September 2017 of lung cancer.

What to look for

• The observation area looks across the reflector dish and suspended receiver.
• The astronomy experience hall contains a telescope model and exhibits about subjects such as pulsars.

Location & getting there

Getting to Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope

Begin at Hanglong Cultural Park in Kedu town, Pingtang, the official scenic-area visitor address. Use the operator’s transfer and security arrangements for the telescope viewing area. Store phones, cameras and other restricted electronics before entering that zone; prepare any necessary non-digital payment or contact arrangements in advance.