Two giant telescopes—one in Australia, the other in South Africa—will comprise the supersensitive Square Kilometer Array
After 30 years of planning and negotiations, construction begins this week on the Square Kilometre Array , the world’s largest radio-astronomy observatory. The giant instrument—to be built across sprawling sites in Australia and Africa—will collect the radio signals emitted by celestial objects and will hopefully shed light on some of the most enigmatic problems in astronomy, such as the nature of dark matter and how galaxies form.
Years in the making In 2012, it was decided that what had initially been conceived as a single giant telescope would consist of two instruments, one in South Africa and one in Australia. The large distances between antennas, and their sheer number, mean that the telescopes—called SKA-Mid and SKA-Low respectively—will pick up radio signals with unprecedented sensitivity.
Earlier this month, the Wajarri Yamaji and the Australian government registered a land-use agreement that would allow the telescope to be built on Wajarri Yamaji land. Local people will act as heritage monitors and accompany SKAO officials before any ground disturbance throughout construction, says Des Mongoo, a Wajarri Yamatji community member who is looking forward to work beginning.
South Africa’s dishes On Monday, preparations will also begin for building the first giant SKA-Mid dishes. These will form a collection of 197 antennas, extending over about 150 kilometres in South Africa’s dry Karoo region. Four will be complete in 2024, and many more will be added by 2028.
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