MeerKAT radio telescope is inaugurated in the Karoo
On 13 July 2018 Deputy President David Mabuza inaugurated the 64-dish MeerKAT radio telescope near Carnarvon in the Northern Cape, where a detailed new image of the centre of the Milky Way was unveiled.
Photo: Square Kilometre Array Organisation (SKAO) / South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO) · CC BY 3.0
Deputy President David Mabuza formally inaugurated the MeerKAT radio telescope on 13 July 2018 at the array's core site in the Karoo, about 90 km from the town of Carnarvon in the Northern Cape. MeerKAT has 64 dishes, each 13.5 metres across, linked over distances of up to 8 km. It took about a decade to design and build, and is run by the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO).
At the launch a panoramic MeerKAT image of the region around the supermassive black hole at the centre of our galaxy was unveiled, showing features not seen before.
MeerKAT is a precursor to the international Square Kilometre Array (SKA). It is to be incorporated into the SKA's mid-frequency telescope, which will add more dishes in the same part of the Karoo.
Why it matters
MeerKAT made South Africa home to one of the world's most sensitive radio telescopes and anchored the country's role in the Square Kilometre Array.
- Source: SARAO, "MeerKAT radio telescope inaugurated in South Africa, reveals clearest view yet of center of the Milky Way" · SKAO, "SKA precursor telescope MeerKAT inaugurated in South Africa" (13 July 2018) · South African Government, "Deputy President David Mabuza launches 64-dish MeerKAT, 12 to 13 Jul" (media advisory) · SARAO, "Where are the MeerKAT telescopes located in South Africa?"
Where it happened
MeerKAT array core site, Karoo
The inauguration was held at the SKA core site where the dishes stand, about 90 km from Carnarvon. The array spreads over several kilometres; SARAO gives the site as 30°44'22"S 21°26'35"E and the array centre lies a few kilometres north of that, so the circle covers the area approximately.
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Where it happened Approximate
MeerKAT array core site, Karoo
The inauguration was held at the SKA core site where the dishes stand, about 90 km from Carnarvon. The array spreads over several kilometres; SARAO gives the site as 30°44'22"S 21°26'35"E and the array centre lies a few kilometres north of that, so the circle covers the area approximately.
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Context Exact site
Carnarvon, Northern Cape
The nearest town, where the media briefing was held on 12 July 2018; the ceremony itself was at the telescope site. Coordinates from OpenStreetMap.
