A radio astronomical observatory has opened in southern Russia, a local news agency reported Tuesday.
The Badari radio observatory, with a 32-meter radio telescope, is located in the foothills of the East Sayan Mountains near Lake Baikal in the Buryat Republic, ITAR-TASS said.
The radio observatory is part of the long baseline interferometer network QUASAR, worth $40 million, the news agency said.
Interferometery is the location and examination of sources of electromagnetic radiation through the simultaneous use of two or more separated telescopes.
Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated scientists, engineers and builders on establishment of the network.
"I hope that the operation of the modern network will give a serious impetus to the astronomy research in Russia and large international programs," he said.
The QUASAR network will conduct regular monitoring under national and international programs, including those of the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration and the European Union.
It will provide accurate computation of celestial and Earth coordinates, according to Andrei Finkelshtein, director of the Institute of Applied Astronomy.
