Qinghai Province, northwest China - Sept. 17, 2023 (CCTV - No access Chinese mainland)
1. Stunning image of Andromeda Galaxy
2. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Kong Xu, the project's chief designer at the University of Science and Technology of China (ending with shot 3):
"This photo is still very impressive, because we can capture a image of a large galaxy like M31 (the Andromeda Galaxy) with such ease."
3. Screen showing stunning image of Andromeda Galaxy
4. Aerial shots of Wide Field Survey Telescope (WFST)
5. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Zheng Xianzhong, a researcher at the Purple Mountain Observatory under the Chinese Academy of Sciences:
"Its lens barrel is relatively long, which reduces stray light. Its primary camera has a smaller light-blocking area, resulting in higher sensitivity compared to telescopes of same aperture."
6. Various of China's wide-field telescope
7. SOUNDBITE (Chinese) Zheng Xianzhong, a researcher at the Purple Mountain Observatory under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (starting with shot 6/ending with shot 8):
"Our system of the telescope has achieved key technological breakthroughs in (domestic) independent innovation and is comparable to the most advanced international observation equipment of the same kind. We now have the necessary conditions to officially commence scientific observations."
8. Various of wide-field telescope, scientific research personnel

China's wide-field telescope capable of surveying the entire sky from the Northern Hemisphere revealed a stunning image of Andromeda Galaxy on Sunday.

Measuring 2.5 meters in diameter, the Wide Field Survey Telescope (WFST) is now the largest time-domain survey facility in the Northern Hemisphere. It was jointly developed by the University of Science and Technology of China and the Purple Mountain Observatory under the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

The telescope was officially put into operation in northwest China's Qinghai Province on Sunday.

The photo is currently the world's largest field-of-view image of the Andromeda Galaxy with a high resolution, which is of great significance for subsequent astronomical research.

"This photo is still very impressive, because we can capture a image of a large galaxy like M31 (the Andromeda Galaxy) with such ease," said Kong Xu, the project's chief designer at the University of Science and Technology of China.

In 2022, the telescope was nicknamed after the ancient Chinese philosopher Mozi, or Micius, who is said to be the first in history to conduct optical experiments.

It will become the most powerful sky survey telescope in the Northern Hemisphere. The use of the WFST will greatly improve China's near-Earth object monitoring and early warning capabilities, said Kong.

"Its lens barrel is relatively long, which reduces stray light. Its primary camera has a smaller light-blocking area, resulting in higher sensitivity compared to telescopes of same aperture," said Zheng Xianzhong, a researcher at the Purple Mountain Observatory under the Chinese Academy of Sciences.

"Our system of the telescope has achieved key technological breakthroughs in (domestic) independent innovation and is comparable to the most advanced international observation equipment of the same kind. We now have the necessary conditions to officially commence scientific observations," Zheng said.

Construction of the telescope project started in July 2019 in Lenghu Town in northwest China's Qinghai Province, which has an average altitude of approximately 4,000 meters. The town is also known as China's "Mars Camp" due to its eerily eroded desert landscape that resembles the surface of the red planet.

The Lenghu area has the advantages of the plateau region's clear night skies, stable atmospheric conditions, dry climate, and less artificial light pollution, meaning it has the potential to become one of the best sites for stargazing in the Eurasian continent. Since 2020, Lenghu has attracted 11 scientific research institutions and 12 telescope projects, with a total investment of 2.7 billion yuan (about 370 million U.S. dollars).