The Kölner Observatorium für SubMillimeter Astronomie (KOSMA) was a radio telescope for submillimeter astronomy located at 3,135 m (10,285 ft) on Gornergrat near Zermatt (Switzerland). It was operated by I. Physikalisches Institut, University of Cologne, and Radioastronomisches Institut, University of Bonn.[1][2]

Kölner Observatorium für SubMillimeter Astronomie
Alternative namesKOSMA Edit this at Wikidata
Location(s)Gornergrat Kulm Hotel, Gornergrat, Valais, Switzerland
Coordinates45°59′04″N 7°47′09″E / 45.9844°N 7.7858°E / 45.9844; 7.7858 Edit this at Wikidata
OrganizationUniversity of Bonn
University of Cologne Edit this on Wikidata
Altitude3,135 m (10,285 ft) Edit this at Wikidata
First light1985 Edit this on Wikidata
Decommissioned2 June 2010 Edit this on Wikidata
Telescope styleradio telescope Edit this on Wikidata
Diameter3 m (9 ft 10 in) Edit this at Wikidata
Secondary diameter0.27 m (11 in) Edit this at Wikidata
Focal length31.2 m (102 ft 4 in) Edit this at Wikidata
Websiteastro.uni-koeln.de/index.php?id=17647 Edit this at Wikidata
KOSMA is located in Switzerland
KOSMA
Location of KOSMA
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The telescope had a primary diameter of 3 m (9.8 ft), and a secondary diameter of 0.27 metres (0.89 ft). It was equipped with heterodyne receivers covering 210 to 820 GHz, corresponding to wavelengths between 0.35 and 1.4 mm, for observations of lines from the interstellar medium.[2]

Because of the good climatic conditions at the altitude of 3135 m (10285 ft), astronomical observatories have been located in both towers of the Kulmhotel at Gornergrat since 1967. In 1985, the KOSMA telescope was installed in the southern tower by the Universität zu Köln and, in the course of 1995, replaced by a new dish and mount. In the northern tower, a 1.5 m infrared telescope was operated until 2005 by an Italian association of universities (TIRGO).

In 2010, the telescope was moved to a site in Yangbajain in Damxung County in Tibet at an altitude of 4300m and renamed CCOSMA.[3]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Astro: KOSMA". astro.uni-koeln.de. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  2. ^ a b "Technical Details of the KOSMA telescope (2000)". Retrieved 27 April 2020.
  3. ^ "CCOSMA----National Astronomical Observatories, Chinese Academy of Sciences". english.nao.cas.cn. Retrieved 27 April 2020.