The first telescope in the Danish-led telescope network SONG was officially opened in October 2014 marking the start of a worldwide research project that will bring us even closer to understanding the fundamental nature of stars.

The prototype of the new telescope in the network was built at the Teide Observatory, Tenerife, in spring 2012, and the ‘first light’ through the telescope was observed in summer 2012. Since February 2014, the telescope has observed objects every cloudless night.

The SONG telescope was officially inaugurated 25 October, 2014, at the Observatorio del Teide, on the Izaña mountain, Tenerife. The Stellar Astrophysics Centre hosted the official inauguration of the telescope, attended by representatives from Aarhus University and the University of Copenhagen, as well as relevant foundations. Other researchers in the SONG project – representing China, Australia, the USA, Chile, South Africa and Germany – also attended.

Find a short video from the opening here.