Why are professional observatories frequently built on high mountains?
Answer
To get above the worst of the atmospheric distortion
Building observatories on high mountains places them above a significant portion of the turbulent atmosphere, allowing for clearer, steadier views of celestial objects by reducing scintillation.
#Videos
What Does A Star Look Like Up Close In Space? - Physics Frontier
Related Questions
What phenomenon is entirely an artifact of Earth’s atmosphere?What is the primary reason stars appear as tiny points of light from Earth?What is the term for the apparent 'surface' layer of a star?Up close, what property of a star determines its apparent color?Why do stars within a visual constellation often have vast differences in actual distance?How does a larger telescope mirror primarily help in viewing faint, distant stars?Where does the enormous energy release that makes a star shine originate?Compared to other stars, why does our Sun appear as a massive disk rather than a point?Why are professional observatories frequently built on high mountains?When astronomers resolve a star into a small disk using advanced techniques, what are they often actually observing?