This scene shows the night view of the 500-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope in Pingtang county, Guizhou province, June 27, 2016. (Photo/Xinhua) Editor's note: The world's largest single-aperture spherical telescope, "FAST", starts operation in a karst valley in Pingtang county, Guizhou province, on Sunday. The size of 30 football fields, the 500-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope dwarfs Puerto Rico's 300-meter Arecibo Observatory. Construction began in March 2011 at a cost of 1.2 billion yuan ($179 million).
This scene taken from FAST's viewing platform shows the panorama of the 500-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope in Pingtang county, Guizhou province, Sept 24, 2016. (Photo/Xinhua)
Visitors pose for photo on the viewing platform of "FAST", the 500-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope, in Pingtang county, Guizhou province, Sept 24, 2016. (Photo/Xinhua)
A model of the solar system is displayed at "FAST", China's Single-Aperture Spherical telescope, in Pingtang county, Guizhou province, Sept 24, 2016. (Photo/Xinhua)
This scene shows the panorama of the 500-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope in Pingtang county, Guizhou province, Sept 24, 2016. (Photo/Xinhua)
The feed cabin is installed on "FAST", the 500-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope, in Pingtang county, Guizhou province, Sept 7, 2016. (Photo/Xinhua)
China's single-aperture spherical telescope "FAST", in Pingtang county, Guizhou province, Sept 24, 2016. (Photo/Xinhua)
This scene shows the panorama of the 500-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope in Pingtang county, Guizhou province, Sept 7, 2016. (Photo/Xinhua)
