University of Tokyo Atacama Observatory

The University of Tokyo Atacama Observatory (TAO or Tokyo Atacama Observatory) is an observatory on the 5640 m peak, Cerro Chajnantor next to the Chajnantor Plateau, on the Atacama Desert in Chile. It hosts a 6.5-meter near-infrared/mid-infrared telescope which saw first light in April 2024, with science operation expected to begin in 2025. It is the highest-elevation ground observatory in the world, of those with such a substantial telescope. Instruments:

• MIMIZUKU - mid-infrared imager and spectrograph.
• SWIMS - simultaneous two-color MOS (multi-object slit) spectrograph.

Both have been tested on the Subaru Telescope. A 1 meter telescope (miniTAO) has served as a pilot at the site since 2009, with instruments:

• ANAR - Atacama near-infrared camera.
• MAX38 - Mid-infrared astronomical explorer 38.