Are you a fan of telescopes? Then astronomy must definitely be a part of your future. Chile has the clearest skies to appreciate stars and it is the preferred destination for researches from all over the world.
What’s Astronomy?
Astronomy is the science that studies the origin, movement and characteristics of astronomical objects, that is to say, individual celestial bodies that can be found in the sky.
Satellites, stars, planets of all kinds, asteroids, among others, are all part of the astronomical objects that this science is devoted to study. Astronomy looks for different answers and explanations for the varied phenomena that occurs thanks to these objects.
Why study in Chile?
The skies of Northern Chile are considered as one of the best to study and observe all phenomena related to the stars and celestial bodies. Every year, scientists from all over the world go to the observatories located there.
Northern Chile, mainly the regions of Antofagasta, Atacama and Coquimbo, is home to modern astronomic infrastructure, including observatories and radio observatories. Thanks to the arid climate of the area, the skies are always clear, which makes them an ideal scenario for observation and for carrying out research.
Among the most famous observatories in the country, there’s the Atacama Large Millimeter (ALMA), known as one of the biggest astronomic projects in the world; also, in this area one can find Observatorio Paranal and Observatorio La Silla, the former is known as the most advanced in the area.
Today, Chile accounts for 40% of astronomic observation worldwide, while there are various projects and instruments currently being developed; some of those include the Giant Magellan Telescope and the Extremely Large Telescope (Source: Ministry of Science, Technology, Knowledge and Innovation).
Advances and Discoveries
The skies of our country have been part of important discoveries and advancements in astronomy, both nationally and internationally. Among some of these milestones one can mention:
- The discovery of a planet three times bigger than Jupiter, in 2019.
- In 2012, a planet similar to Earth, but seven times bigger was found.
- In 2010, astronomers José Maza and Mario Hamuy developed a new method to measure the distance between different celestial bodies.
These are only some of the discoveries that show that Chilean skies are the best to study astronomy.