Massive 500-meter China’s FAST world’s largest Radio Telescope that has been in final tests for three years, is now operational.
China officially started its five-hundred meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST), located in Pingtang County in Guizhou, China.
The diameter of FAST’s dish that measures 500 meters, is made up of about 4,400 aluminum panels which are tilted and turned by 2,000 mechanical winches.
The giant radio telescope has already spotted 102 brand new pulsars, a type of rotating neutron star.
Astronomers hope the Chinese telescope will finally discovers signs of life in the Universe.
Comparison of the Arecibo Observatory (top) and FAST (bottom) dishes at the same scale. Credit wikimedia
Images credit Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST)
via universetoday
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