uranologist are rejoicing that they ’ve found the best position on world for astronomical observation . The only problem ? It also materialize to be the “ very worst place on the surface of the planet for humans . ” Whoops . broadcast in the Robots .
DubbedRidge A , this magical topographic point in Antarctica provides such a clear aspect of the heavens that a “ modestly - sized telescope there would be as powerful as the largest telescopes anywhere else on earthly concern . ” Scientists will be using the noesis gained from the first Antarctic machinelike screening place , thePLATeau Observatory , to coif up another ‘ bot operate observatory station in this ironic and cold place :
The simple lookout is , in the words of University of Arizona astronomer Craig Kulesa , a sword shipping container that scientist “ cut in one-half and insulated the dogshit out of . ”
Well , not everything has to be high tech , right ? Hacked together or not , the automaton - manned observatories are substantial not only of the data point they supply , but also because of the economy in compare to a space mission for the same photograph :
catch a kilogram of anything into orbit price thousands of dollars . The toll of make a kilogram to Ridge A is about $ 10 .
This means that theNational Science Foundationis getting a heck of a caboodle of enquiry done without the benefits of a NASA - sized budget . Not to mention that robots are far cooler than rockets anyway . [ electrify ]
AntarcticaAstronomyRobotRobotsStargazingTelescopes
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