Across Asia: Australia

Stargazing for 33 hours

Radio telescopes across Australia, China and Japan yesterday launched a global 33-hour stargazing marathon to mark the start of the UN's International Year of Astronomy, scientists said.

Astronomers will follow three quasars - J0204+1514, 0234+285 and 3C395 - as they rise and set with the world's rotation, starting at 0800 GMT (4pm Beijing time) with telescopes in Australia, at Kashima in Japan, and China's Shanghai.