The SKA Telescopes

The SKA Observatory is considered one of the largest scientific engineering projects of the 21st century. Countries on five continents are working together to build the two largest radio telescope arrays on Earth. In Australia, the low-frequency array, known as SKA-Low, will eventually comprising 131,072 antennas spread across 74 km. In South Africa, SKA-Mid will ultimately have 197 dishes (incorporating the existing 64-dish MeerKAT radio telescope) spread across 150 km. The SKA telescopes’ size and large number of antennas and dishes means there will provide a significant leap in resolution, sensitivity and survey speed, seeing more of the Universe, and in greater detail, than has ever been possible before. The array design and processing capacity will also allow radio astronomers from all over the world to study different parts of the cosmos simultaneously by forming sub-arrays.

In the Karoo region of South Africa, the Square Kilometre Array Mid (SKA-Mid) will feature 197 parabolic dishes, ushering in a transformative era of radio astronomy. This ambitious project aims to conduct groundbreaking observations across various scientific fields, including pulsar timing, gravitational wave tracking, and the quest for extraterrestrial life.

The SKA-Mid will incorporate the existing MeerKAT radio telescope, enhancing its capabilities with 15-meter-diameter SKA dishes alongside MeerKAT’s 13.5-meter dishes, creating a cohesive and powerful observational system. From a central core spanning approximately 1 kilometer, the antennas will radiate outward in three spiral arms, extending over a remarkable distance, with the most distant antennas positioned 150 kilometers apart.

This international collaboration includes contributions from institutions in China, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, South Africa, Spain, the United Kingdom, and Sweden. Components will be manufactured worldwide before being shipped to South Africa for final assembly, reflecting a global effort to push the boundaries of our understanding of the universe.

197

fully steerable dishes