Chile hosts one of the largest collections of optical and infra-red telescopes in the world: currently five 8 meter telescopes, two 6 meter telescopes, four 4 meter telescopes, and a variety of smaller telescopes (the number quoted here, e.g. 8 meter, is the diameter of the main mirror of the telescope). Long term future plans include the construction of an `overwhelmingly' large telescope with mirror diameter of 30 meter to 100 meters!
Two 12 meter radio telescopes will begin operation in Chile in 2005, at a site which will soon host the largest, most sensitive, radio telescope array in the world (ALMA; first observations in 2008, with expected completion around 2012). These observatories and telescopes are run by international teams from the U.S., Europe, U.K., and Japan, among others. As part of a standard agreement, astronomers from Chilean institutes obtain preferential access (10% of all observing time) on every telescope in Chile.
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