Kazakhstan’s telescope network grows with installations in Spain and Uzbekistan
Kazakhstan plans to expand its international telescope network with new installations at the Teide High-Altitude Observatory in the Canary Islands, Spain, and the Maidanak Observatory in Uzbekistan, Qazinform News Agency reports.
The announcement was made by Maxim Krugov, research engineer at the Fesenkov Astrophysical Institute in Almaty.
He noted that joint work is currently underway with the Astrotechpribor company to install a 115-cm telescope at Teide and an 80-cm telescope at Maidanak.
"These are links in a chain for the development of Kazakhstan's telescope network. The locations were chosen taking into account the Earth's rotation to ensure continuity of observations and eliminate gaps in monitoring astronomical objects," he said.
Kazakhstan is also actively developing the Assy Observatory near Almaty.
As part of the Astrohub project, more than 100 telescopes from various scientific groups are expected to be installed by 2030, with Kazakhstani students and institute staff taking part in the work, according to Maxim Krugov.
The Teide Observatory, founded in 1964 on the island of Tenerife at an altitude of 2,400 meters, was among the first international observatories to host telescopes from different countries, thanks to the unique astroclimatic conditions of the region.
The Maidanak Observatory, established in 1970, 45 km south of Shakhrisabz, at an altitude of 2,650 meters, is known for its high-quality atmospheric conditions and unique geographical features.
It is worth noting that last year, Kazakhstan installed a telescope at the Obstech International Observatory in the Atacama Desert of Chile, one of the world’s premier sites for astronomical research. The facility is now part of the global southern sky monitoring network.
