Chinese Telescope Shares 30 Million Spectra with Global Collaborators

China's Large Sky Area Multi-Object Fiber Spectroscopic Telescope (LAMOST) has made significant strides in astronomical research with the release of its latest dataset, DR13, which encompasses over 30 million spectra. This impressive release not only solidifies LAMOST's position as the leader in global astronomical surveys but also serves as a valuable resource for both domestic astronomers and international collaborators.
According to the LAMOST Operation and Development Center at the National Astronomical Observatories under the Chinese Academy of Sciences (NAOC), the dataset spans an observation period from October 2011 to June 2025. It includes a total of 6,961 low-resolution observation patches and 3,404 medium-resolution observation patches, reflecting the extensive research efforts undertaken by LAMOST.
The newly released spectra consist of approximately 13.47 million low-resolution spectra and 17.35 million medium-resolution spectra, accompanied by an extensive catalog of stellar spectral parameters that contains around 12.94 million entries. This comprehensive dataset is expected to advance understanding across various fields of astronomical research.
NAOC has confirmed that the total number of spectra released by LAMOST and the scale of its stellar parameter catalog continue to lead globally, exemplifying the telescope's outstanding performance in collecting and processing astronomical data.
As of now, more than 1,900 users from 278 institutions across diverse regions including China, the United States, Germany, Belgium, and Denmark have utilized data from LAMOST, resulting in the publication of over 2,200 high-quality scientific papers. This collaboration highlights the telescope's significance in facilitating international cooperation in scientific research.
In recent years, LAMOST's data have contributed to the publication of more than 300 scientific papers annually, with foreign astronomers accounting for over 40 percent of these contributions. This impressive scientific output underscores LAMOST's prominent role among the world's leading large astronomical telescopes, particularly those in the 6-to-10-meter category.
Notably, LAMOST stands as China's pioneering national sci-tech infrastructure within the realm of astronomy, having established itself as a forerunner in large-scale spectroscopic sky surveys globally. Over its 14 years of operation, LAMOST has consistently demonstrated efficiency and stability.
The spectra produced by LAMOST have enabled astronomers worldwide to conduct some of the most systematic research to date regarding the structure and evolution of the Milky Way. The findings have led to remarkable breakthroughs in areas such as the search for compact objects, stellar physics, exoplanets, and quasars, thereby enriching the scientific community's overall understanding of the universe.
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