China has recently unveiled the latest images of the Andromeda Galaxy, located over 2 million light-years from Earth. Notably, this is the first image captured by a wide-field telescope capable of surveying the entire northern sky, which was put into operation in Qinghai Province (Northwest China) on September 17.
Image of the Andromeda Galaxy captured by the Wide Field Survey Telescope (WFST) – developed by the University of Science and Technology of China and the Purple Mountain Observatory under the Chinese Academy of Sciences. (Photo: THX/TTXVN)
The Wide Field Survey Telescope (WFST) – developed by the University of Science and Technology of China and the Purple Mountain Observatory under the Chinese Academy of Sciences – is currently the largest time-domain survey facility in the northern hemisphere.
Due to the vast size of the Andromeda Galaxy in the sky, it is quite challenging for current telescopes to simultaneously capture accurate and complete images of the galaxy and its surrounding environment.
The WFST, combining a wide field of view with high-resolution imaging capabilities, has captured colorful images of the Andromeda Galaxy and its distant regions. This was achieved by compiling 150 photographs taken over multiple nights of observation.
With the ability to survey the entire northern sky every three nights, the WFST is expected to aid scientists in monitoring ongoing astronomical events and conducting time-domain astronomical research. This device is also anticipated to enhance China’s capabilities in monitoring near-Earth objects and providing early warnings.
The WFST has a diameter of 2.5 meters and is located in the town of Langhu, which sits at an average altitude of approximately 4,200 meters above sea level. This town is nicknamed the “Mars Camp” of China due to its eroded desert landscape, resembling the surface of the Red Planet.
