WWA Info Exchange

There is a faraway place on our planet where there is little to no wind, the air is dry, and the weather is almost always clear; temperatures in the winter average about -95 degrees Fahrenheit, but as far as astronomers are concerned, it is the perfect place for an observatory. A team from the US and Australia have studied the area by way of satellite and ground station data, as well as climate models, to learn what the climate was like at the site, known simply as Ridge A. Ridge A is located on the Antarctic Plateau, some 13,300 feet up near what is known as Dome A (Argus), and the conditions there are some of the most calm, if not the most calm, on this planet. The calmness of the atmosphere would mean lack of turbulence, which is great since turbulence is often the cause of distortion in observation images and the overall "seeing" when looking through a telescope. Since the conditions at Ridge A may just be the best in the world for observing, an observatory there would not require an enormous telescope; a moderately-sized scope could produce images three times sharper than the "best" sites being used right now. Interest in Antarctica for observing has skyrocketed in the last five years since it has been reported that a site at "Dome C" on the plateau could produce images nearly as good as those coming from Hubble! A recent study into the building of an optical/Infrared PILOT telescope discusses the issues with building and maintaining of such an observatory. The construction is planned to begin in 2012 at the French/Italian Concordia Station at Dome C.

Keep your eyes to the sky and enjoy the view!
~Lisa C.
AccuWeather.com Astronomy Center