What tourists mean for the 'eye of heaven'

"The eye of heaven is open for tourists now!" The news quickly spread across the internet. The "eye of heaven" refers to the Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope (or FAST), the largest in the world, used to gaze into the depths of the universe.

Parts of the FAST zone, in Pingtang county of Southwest China's Guizhou province, were opened to tourists in late September. By paying 368 yuan ($55.18) for a ticket, tourists can visit certain parts of the observatory. And as expected, 140,000 people visited the FAST zone during the just-concluded weeklong National Day holiday.

Opening parts of the FAST zone to tourists has its advantages. For one, it can generate some income.