Optical infrared telescope with a primary mirror of Asia becomes maximum aperture 3 · 8 m.

Optical infrared telescope with a primary mirror of Asia becomes maximum diameter 3.8 meters this year, will be built in Okayama Prefecture.
In a project such as the advance Kyoto and the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, plans to provide the latest observation equipment in order to observe the extrasolar planets. With the aim of discovery of the "second solar system" that there is a possibility that there is a planet like Earth, and plans to begin the test observations during the 2015 fiscal year.
Near the summit of construction land Terayama bamboo forest that spans the Okayama Prefecture Asakuchi and Yakage (altitude 372 m). This region has a high rate of fine weather, the atmosphere also is stable, there is also the Okayama Astrophysical Observatory of the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan.
I observe in both visible light and infrared. Primary mirror to collect the light of celestial bodies become "eyes" is about half compared to the Subaru Telescope of the National Astronomical Observatory in the US Hawaii Island (diameter 8 · 2 m). However, Nagata Kyoto Professor (infrared astronomy) of development manager says "It's developing a device that can be observed in the Subaru telescope par". I want to hope that will be able to quickly observed. By all means, I hope it will lead to the discovery of the "second solar system."




アジア最大となる口径３・８メートルの主鏡をもつ光学赤外線望遠鏡が今年、岡山県内に建設される。
　京都大や国立天文台などが進めるプロジェクトで、太陽系外の惑星を観測するために最新の観測機器を設ける予定。地球のような惑星が存在する可能性がある「第２の太陽系」の発見を目指し、２０１５年度中に試験観測を始める計画だ。
　建設地は岡山県浅口市と矢掛町にまたがる竹林寺山（標高３７２メートル）の山頂付近。この地域は晴天率が高く、大気も安定しており、国立天文台の岡山天体物理観測所もある。
　可視光と赤外線の両方で観測する。天体の光を集める「目」となる主鏡は、米ハワイ島にある国立天文台のすばる望遠鏡（口径８・２メートル）に比べて半分程度。しかし、開発責任者の長田・京都大教授（赤外線天文学）は「すばる望遠鏡並みの観測ができる機器を開発中だ」と言う。早く観測ができるようになることを期待したいですね。ぜひ、「第2の太陽系」の発見につながるといいですね。