New observatory: High-tech at high altitude

A construction crew works at the site on Haizi Mountain, Sichuan province, at an altitude of about 4,400 meters. [Photo/Xinhua]

The Xiangyun Hotel lies in the heart of Sichuan province's Daocheng county, an area famous for its picturesque terrain, Tibetan pilgrims and Buddhist stupas.

The region has a natural and religious vibe, yet the free hotel gift shop pamphlets introducing the Large High Altitude Air Shower Observatory, which is being built nearby on Haizi Mountain, offer a more futuristic flavor.

Yang Liu, an employee in her early 30s, said the observatory "looks grand and impressive, and the way it's filled with dots reminds me of the beautiful starry nights I grew up with".

Yet she has trouble understanding what the 136-hectare facility actually does - even after reading the pamphlets.

The observatory, which is under construction 4.4 kilometers above sea level, will be the highest cosmic ray observatory in the world when it is finished. It will be used to detect high-energy particles from outer space, so it needs to be as high up as possible to reduce interference.

Scientists also hope the telescope array will act as a unique science attraction, according to the project's chief technologist, He Huihai, of the Chinese Academy of Sciences' Institute of High Energy Physics.

"Whatever spot we choose, we always want our installations to preserve the environment and benefit the locals in some way," he said, adding that the facility may become a pillar of the local science tourism industry.

The 500-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope - the world's largest - in Pingtang county, Guizhou province, attracted 220,000 visitors over the Labor Day holiday, according to the China National Tourism Administration.

He Huihai and his team have a similar vision for the Daocheng observatory, with plans to build a science center for visitors near the facility for educational purposes.

Liu Zhigang, a restaurant owner in Daocheng, was thrilled about getting another attraction near his home because most visitors only come between July and October for the scenery, and there is little business any other months.

Telling his employees about the project, Liu used a phonetic pronunciation of the observatory's abbreviated name LHAASO. But because of his dialect, he mispronounced the Mandarin lasuo. Instead, he called it lasao, a homophone for "spicy sister-in-law" in Chinese.

"I think it's a fitting name, because Sichuan is famous for its hot food, and the people here are very hospitable, like a close family relative," he said. "I hope lasao can bring business year-round."

Liu Huocheng, a retiree from Taiwan, said he would love to see the facility in the future, but fears the cold weather and potential for altitude sickness would be too much for his body.

"I think young people and entrepreneurs who work in related science fields will definitely be interested," he said.