Chinese astronomers are being opened up sons and daughters of the "space age"

Purple Mountain Observatory reporter learned from the Chinese Academy of Sciences, the new China was founded 60 years ago, Chinese astronomers continue to forge ahead in space astronomical observation, research, fruit continuously, one belonging to the sons and daughters of the "space age" is constantly approached.

Space astronomy, that is, outside the atmosphere of the observations of celestial phenomena, is a measure of a country's important indicator of the level of astronomical research. Purple Mountain Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences researcher Chang Jin told reporters that China's space astronomy have long lagged behind other developed countries in Europe and the United States. As the observation equipment behind, in the last century, 70 years ago, this area is basically empty.

"Because of the impact of the Earth's atmosphere and space astronomical observation is of course the best path to set up observation equipment directly into the air to go." Sang Jin said that the astronomical community in the West as early as age 50 in the last century had achieved the dream of Chinese astronomers has been to wait until the last century, the late 80s.

1988 "Sino-Japanese balloon flight across the ocean to detect the hard X-ray astronomy project" successful launch marked the first time China will be marked "China" astronomical observation equipment delivered to the air. Sang Jin said that, of course, due to the limited height of the balloon of the fly, in order to probe the best means of access to space astronomy satellite or spacecraft.

January 10, 2001 by Purple Mountain Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Sciences Institute of High Energy Physics jointly designed the sun and the celestial high-energy cosmic radiation monitoring device, carrying the Shenzhou II spacecraft heading for outer space, realizing the first time, the universe of China's the outbreak of violent phenomena such as high-energy gamma-space measurement study, which the development of space astronomy in China has laid a solid foundation.

In the Shenzhou series of spacecraft to a new level, while China's lunar exploration project has also made a breakthrough. Since 1994, China began to carry out exploration activities on the necessity and feasibility studies, after a full 10 years of preparation, "Chang'e Project" was officially approved in 2004. In the space, astronomy and other experts in the field efforts, October 24, 2007 to undertake the moon useful elements, the thickness of lunar soil exploration, earth-moon space environment exploration, and other tasks of China's first lunar probe satellite "Chang'e I" fired up empty; 33 days, the China National Space Administration officially announced on the 1st satellite Chang'e 1 returned the first image the moon's surface; March 1 this year, Chang'e I satellite was successfully impact the moon in the control ... ...

Purple Mountain Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences, executive deputy director Yang Ji said, "Moon", the myths and legends into a reality shows that China entered the era of deep space exploration. As the American CNN Web site in November 2007 entitled "China's Top Gun in space," the article says: "... ... This is just one small step for China's space program, China is likely to eventually build its own orbital space station, the moon to establish base and the Russian joint exploration of Mars ... ... "

"Compared with foreign countries, China's space astronomy, there is still much room for improvement, in particular we do not have a special astronomical exploration satellite." Sang Jin said, but this will soon be a breakthrough, at present, hard X-ray modulation telescope to detect dark matter of satellite launch program and are in active preparation. (Stella Y. Gao, Liu Weiwei)

(Editor: Zhang Yuke)