Antarctic astronomy

The high altitude, extreme cold, and low atmospheric water vapor content found on the Antarctic Plateau make it possibly the best site on Earth for astronomy at millimeter, submillimeter, and infrared wavelengths. The Center for Astronomical Research in Antarctica (CARA) coordinates year-round observations at the South Pole. These contribute to cosmic microwave background anisotropy studies and to investigations of young stars and molecular clouds.

Collins Dictionary of Astronomy © Market House Books Ltd, 2006

References in periodicals archive

Clear, dry air and four months of wintry darkness make Antarctica an ideal observing site, says astronomer Lifan Wang, director of the Chinese Center for Antarctic Astronomy and a professor at Texas A&M University in College Station.

Onward and sky: with new efforts aimed at the stars, China seeks to revive its astronomical reputation

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