University of Tokyo Atacama Observatory

The University of Tokyo Atacama Observatory (TAO or Tokyo Atacama Observatory) is an observatory on the 5640 meter peak, Cerro Chajnantor next to the Chajnantor Plateau, on the Atacama Desert in Chile. The observatory will host a 6.5-meter near-infrared/mid-infrared, telescope, which is under construction: an April 2026 news update indicates construction is active but not yet complete. 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.