SA unveils the MeerKAT telescope, precursor to the Square Kilometre Array
It has been a decade in the making‚ and now the MeerKAT radio telescope has been unveiled. This is a major leap forward, not just for SA but for global astronomy and our understanding of the beginnings of the universe. MeerKAT was unveiled on Friday about 70km from the tiny town of Carnarvon and in the vast big-sky landscape of the Northern Cape, where any interference with the signals is minimal. Launched by Deputy President David Mabuza‚ the MeerKAT is the world’s largest radio telescope and is a precursor to the Square Kilometre Array (SKA)‚ which falls under the Department of Science and Technology. Later it will later be integrated into the SKA‚ which will be 50-100 times more sensitive than any other radio telescope on Earth.
"The SKA is expected to address fundamental questions about the universe‚ including how the first stars and galaxies were formed‚" spokesperson Lorenzo Raynard said...
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