The construction of China's largest astronomical observatory station broke ground on 11 August in Yao'an County in the southwest China's Yunnan Province.
Following an assessment, CAS astronomers found Yao'an fulfilled all the requirements for an observatory to monitor days of clear skies and nights.
To be completed by 2010, the 340 million yuan (about $49.5 million) facility will be jointly funded by the CAS headquarters and its Purple Mountain Observatory.