China will allow foreign astronomers to use its 1,600-foot radio telescope for the first time this summer.
The five-hundred-meter Aperture Spencer Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST) is the radio observatory of the world’s largest disk, which is used to detect cosmic phenomena and search for extraterrestrial life.
It is one of the only “eyes in the sky” left after the dismantling and collapse of the 1,000-foot radio telescope at the Arecibo Observatory in December.
Scientists from China and abroad can submit online applications to use FAST at the National Astronomical Observatories of China (NAOC) from April 1.
A calendar will be made public as of Aug. 1, with about 10 percent of those observation bands assigned to outsiders, according to state-run Xinhua News.
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The five-hundred-meter Aperture Spenical Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST), the world’s largest disk radio observatory, will welcome foreign astronomers for the first time from August
FAST is incorporated into a natural sinkhole in Pingtang, southwest of Guizhou Province, with a unique design that uses tiltable metal panels to change its focus area.
Construction began in 2011 and observations began in 2016, although FAST did not officially open until January 11, 2020.
So far, its systems have recorded at least 240 pulsars, starting with PSR J1859-01 and PSR J1931-02 in August 2017.
One of the most unusual was a “millisecond pulsar” in the Messier 92 star cluster.
To date, its systems have recorded at least 240 pulsars, including a “millisecond pulsar” that spins 18,990 rotations per minute.
FAST is integrated into a natural sinkhole in Pingtang County, southwest of Guizhou Province. Construction began in 2011 and observations began in 2016, although the observatory did not officially open until January 11, 2020.
It spins at an astonishing rotation of 18,990 per minute, Engadget reported, much faster than usual.
The basic design of FAST is similar to Puerto Rico’s Arecibo telescope, although Arecibo could receive higher frequencies and was capable of radar astronomy.
FAST’s basic design is similar to Puerto Rico’s Arecibo Telescope, although FAST can scan the area twice and offer three to five times more sensitive readers.
The Arecibo Observatory was decommissioned in November after security concerns over two broken cables. Two weeks later, on December 1, Arecibo’s main telescope collapsed.
FAST is significantly deeper than the collapsed telescope, contributing to a wider field of view.
It is able to scan twice the area that Arecibo could and offer readings three to five times more sensitive.
The Arecibo Observatory was decommissioned in November after security concerns over two broken cables. Two weeks later, on December 1, Arecibo’s main telescope collapsed
The U.S. National Science Foundation initially said it would demolish the Arecibo Observatory, but the Puerto Rican government has pledged $ 8 million to help rebuild it.
According to Li Di, chief scientist at the NAOC, FAST’s open mission is driven by a desire to better understand humanity’s place in the universe, which is “as visceral as feeding and dressing us.”
“Ultimately, exploring the unknown is the nature of humanity,” he told China Daily. “It leads us to a bigger future.”
According to China’s National Astronomical Observatories, FAST’s open mission is driven by a desire to better understand humanity’s place in the universe.
In September, state media announced that FAST had joined the search for life beyond our planet.
According to Tong-Jie Zhang, an astronomer at Beijing Normal University, there are a number of “interesting” narrowband signals that could be a sign of extraterrestrial life that the team is looking forward to starting investigating.
The $ 269 million facility will also collect data on black holes, gas clouds and distant galaxies.