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Chile’s perfect skies for stargazing under threat from giant chemical plant
- Chile's Atacama desert offers the darkest, clearest skies for stargazing, attracting astronomers from around the world.
- The proposed Inna project, a 3,000-hectare industrial-scale green hydrogen and ammonia plant, threatens Chile's observatories.
- Located just 11.6km from a crucial observatory, the project's size and illumination pose a significant threat to astronomical readings.
- The environmental regulator expressed concerns about the project's impact on the observatories but did not halt its progress.
- Scientists fear that light pollution from the plant, construction dust, and atmospheric turbulence could hinder astronomical research.
- The Paranal observatory, home to the VLT and winner of three Nobel prizes, requires dark skies for optimal data collection.
- ESO's director in Chile emphasizes the need for pristine skies to advance our understanding of the universe.
- Astronomers argue that the economic benefits of the Inna project do not justify the potential loss of astronomical research opportunities.
- Chile's regulations on light pollution aim to protect dark skies as a fundamental right, highlighting the conflict with industrial developments.
- Calls for stricter controls on light pollution to preserve the night sky's integrity and ensure future discoveries in astronomy.
- The battle between economic interests and scientific advancement intensifies as Chile wrestles with the balance between development and environmental conservation.
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