ITHACA, NY (607NewsNow) – A long-awaited Cornell project is operational in Chile.

On April 8, astronomers and leaders from Cornell, Germany, Canada, and Chile celebrated the inauguration of the Fred Young Submillimeter Telescope.

President Michael Kotlikoff, Arts and Sciences Dean Peter John Loewen, and telescope namesake and Big Red alum Fred Young delivered remarks at the event. Located 18,400 feet above sea level near the summit of Cerro Chajnantor in the Atacama Desert, it’s the most powerful telescope of its kind in the world.

According to the Cornell Chronicle, the telescope will be able to map the universe’s evolution at an unprecedented scale, measure the growth of galaxy clusters shaped by dark matter, probe magnetic fields in the Milky Way, and more.

Built in Germany, the telescope project has been in development for years.