Foreign Property News | Posted by Shwe Zin Win
Lying on the equator and having a tropical climate, Indonesia has several observatories mostly located in the western part of the country and is now planning to build another one in the eastern region.
The National Institute of Aeronautics and Space (Lapan) is set to build Southeast Asia's largest observatory in Timau in the Kupang regency of East Nusa Tenggara.
Research, Technology and Higher Education Minister Prof Mohamad Nasir officially designated Mt Timau area as a national observatory site and as a national dark sky park. He has also officially named the facility as Timau Observatory.
The Timau mountainous area is considered to be a suitable site for building an observatory since it is located near the equator and can be used to observe the northern and southern hemispheres. The mountainous area is free from air pollution, and its tropical climate is ideal for making astronomical observations.
An advanced telescope measuring 3.8 meters in diameter would be placed in the building, adding that it would be the largest in Southeast Asia. Having the latest and efficient technology, the large telescope is currently being manufactured in Japan.
Indonesia, with its long history of astronomical research since 1923, has several observatories.
Bosscha Observatory is still the largest in Indonesia and the oldest modern observatory in Indonesia. The observatory is located in Lembang, West Java.
The construction of Timau Observatory is expected to be completed in 2019.
Ref : Property Report
