China’s new Schmidt telescope’s test observation successful

Beijing(China)—Tests on China’s Schmidt telescope, which is designed to detect near-earth objects (NEO) that could threaten the planet were successful.
The telescope, measuring one meter in diameter, was tested by scientists at the Mount Zijin Observatory under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, in the suburb of Huai’an city of east China’s Jiangsu Province.
It is the fist telescope in China specialized in NEO observation and one of only six, one-meter NEO observation telescopes in the world, said Yang Jiexing, a researcher with the observatory.
Near-earth objects are comets and asteroids that have been nudged by the gravitational pull and may collide with earth.
Using the most sensitive CCD (Charge-Coupled Device) detectors, the telescope can take pictures of the high-orbit satellites, spatial debris, nebula and variable stars.
After the test observation, the telescope will help astronomers document all NEOs, including unknown ones, for further study, and enable astronomers to know in advance whether an NEO poses a threat to the earth, said Yang.
Once the danger is found, astronomers will exchange the information within the global observation network, Yang said .
A global observation network has been set up to prevent the NEOs from colliding with earth.
So far, more than 800 near-earth asteroids have been discovered by scientists, including nearly 100 with a diameter of more than 1,000 meters.

—Daily Mail, People’s Daily news exchange item