German-Built Telescope Heads to Chile to Probe Universe's Oldest Light

The Fred Young Submillimeter Telescope will be installed in the Atacama Desert to study radiation from the early universe and uncover insights about the Big Bang.

• The Fred Young Submillimeter Telescope (FYST), developed by an international consortium including the Universities of Cologne and Bonn, is en route to Chile for installation.
• The telescope, featuring two six-meter mirrors, is designed to capture submillimeter-wavelength radiation from dust and molecular clouds surrounding distant galaxies and black holes.
• Scientists aim to use the telescope to observe the universe's oldest light, potentially revealing critical information about the aftermath of the Big Bang.
• The Atacama Desert's high altitude (5,600 meters) and dry conditions provide an ideal location for these observations, as few telescopes worldwide can study such wavelengths.
• The telescope is expected to be operational by late 2025 or early 2026, with initial testing conducted in Germany to address challenges posed by the extreme conditions at its final site.

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