observatory housed a powerful mechanical equatorial reflector which was used in 1909 to formally discredit the Martian canal theory. A 1.06-metre (42-inch) telescope was installed in 1963, funded by NASA and was used to take detailed photographs of the surface of the Moon in preparation for the Apollo missions. Other studies conducted in 1965 provided a detailed analysis of the composition of the atmospheres on Mars and Venus, this served as a basis for Jet Propulsion Laboratory scientists to predict that these planets had no life. Since 1980, the observatory has had a 2-metre telescope, which is the largest telescope in France. Overtaken by the giant telescopes built in recent decades, today the observatory is widely open to amateur astronomy. Odeillo solar furnace The Odeillo solar furnace is the world's largest solar furnace. It is situated in Font-Romeu-Odeillo-Via, in the department of Pyrénées-Orientales, in south of France. Built between 1962 and 1968, it is 54 metres (177 ft) high and 48 metres (157 ft) wide, and includes 63 heliostats. The site was chosen because of the length and the quality of sunshine with direct light (more than 2,500 h/year) and the purity of its atmosphere (high altitude and low average humidity). This furnace serves as a science research site studying materials at very high temperatures. Temperatures above 3,500 °C (6,330 °F) can be obtained in a few seconds, in addition it provides rapid temperature changes and therefore allow studying the effect of thermal shocks. Urban areas No big cities are in the range itself. The largest urban area close to the Pyrenees is Toulouse (Haute-Garonne), France with a population of 1,330,954 in its metropolitan area. On the Spanish side Pamplona, (Navarre) is the closest city with a population of 319,208 in its metropolitan area. Inside the Pyrenees the main towns are Andorra la Vella (22,256) and Escaldes-Engordany (14 367) in Andorra, Jaca (12,813) and La Seu d'Urgell (12 252) in Spain, and Lourdes (13,976) and Foix (10,046) in France. Highest summits The following is the complete list of the summits of the Pyrenees above 3,000 metres: Aneto (3,404 m) (Aragon) Posets (3,375 m) (Aragon) Monte Perdido (3,355 m) (Aragon) Punta de Astorg (3,355 m) (Aragon) Pico Maldito (3,350 m) (Aragon) Espalda del Aneto (3,350 m) (Aragon) Pico del Medio (3,346 m) (Aragon) Espadas Peak (3,332 m) (Aragon) Cilindro de Marboré (3,325 m) (Aragon) Maladeta (3,312 m) (Aragon) Vignemale (3,298 m)