Inauguration Ceremony of miniTAO Telescope

In commemoration of the completion and starting operation of the miniTAO 1m telescope, inauguration ceremony was held at Santiago, Chile on July 7, 2010. More than 140 people from the University of Tokyo, Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology of Japan, National Commission for Scientific and Technological Research of Chile, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Chile, Japanese Embassy at Chile, and Japanese companies, cerebrated at a prestigious club building in Santiago. A congratulatory message from President Pinera to inspire TAO project was also delivered.

▲ Left : The venue of the ceremony. Right : Professor Yoshii, the PI of TAO project, introducing the miniTAO telescope.
▲ At the ceremony, images of the center of the Milky Way Galaxy taken in the infrared light at 1.875 micron and 30 micron are presented, which are the first successes from a ground based telescope.

After the ceremony, a reception party was held with Japanese-Chilean style meals. The participants deepened exchanges with animated conversations about the installation of the miniTAO 1m telescope and expectations for the future of the TAO project. During the party, letters of appreciation were send to Kokusai Kogyo Co. Ltd., who constructed the TAO site, and to Nishimura Co. Ltd., who constructed the telescope.

▲ Left : The reception party. Right: Mr. Takashi Nishioka, the adviser of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd., raising a toast for TAO.
▲ Presentation of the letters of appreciation to Kokusai Kogyo Co. Ltd. which constructed the TAO site, received by Mr. Hisaka Iwano (left), and to Nishimura Co. Ltd. which constructed the miniTAO telescope, received by President Yuji Nishimura (right).
▲ (left) A copper plate with a logo of TAO project as a specialty product of Chile, gifted to Japanese participants, and (right) a masu (Japanese traditional measure) made of cypress from Kiso region, branded with the logo of TAO, gifted to Chilean participants.

Prior to the ceremony, on July 5, an excursion tour to the base of Mt. Chjanantor (the peak where miniTAO telescope is located) and ALMA international radio observatory. Participants realized the harsh environment (dry desert and thin air) of the site, and look to be impressed with the strong will of astronomers who work at such a place. They also seem to wonder the grandeur of ALMA and TAO project under the crystal blue sky at Atacama.

▲ At the ALMA antenna site at 5000m altitude, viewing in the front the Mt. Chjnantor where the miniTAO 1m telescope is installed. ALMA antennas are seen in the left.

Through the events, we have re-realized that the TAO project is important for both Japan and Chile, and that both countries should cooperative tightly to achieve the construction of the 6.5m telescope.

The ceremony is also introduced in the web page of National Commission for Scientific and Technological Research of Chile :

• "En Santiago se realizola ceremonia de "Primera Luz" del telescopio miniTAO "

Order of the Inauguration Ceremony