Faculty of Science
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Location

Observations in the millimetre-wave regime require both a high altitude and extremely dry atmospheric conditions. The intended location of the telescope is on top of a spectacular table mountain, the Gamsberg in Namibia, which is within a 2-hour drive of the capital Windhoek. At a height of 2350 m, 600m above the surrounding, it is Namibia’s 2ndhighest peak. The mountain offers a clear and dry sky as well as a unique view into the onset of the famous Namib desert during the day, an exceptionally clear view of the sky at night, and an unforgettable sunrise in the morning. With a 3 km long plateau and steep cliffs it provides ample space for activities. The mountain plateau is property of the Max-Planck-Gesellschaft, a major German science organization. it has been regarded as a site to host the Very Large Telescope (VLT, ESO, now in Chile) and the South African Large Telescope (SALT, now in Sutherlands, SA). It has been left largely unexploited for the past decades and is currently not accessible to the public.

This footage of a drone gives a good impression of the Gamsberg and its surroundings. Science journalist Govert Schilling visited the mountain some time ago and wrote an interesting article about the Gamsberg.