China has just officially opened its FAST radio telescope to international scientists on Wednesday. Scientists across the world can submit proposals for astronomical observations using the telescope.
For those of you who are not familiar with this telescope, here are five facts to give you a better understanding of FAST.
What is FAST?
FAST is short for Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope. Its construction was completed in September 2016 and it officially began operating in January 2020.
Measuring 500 meters in diameter, FAST is the largest radio telescope in the world, surpassing the 305-meter telescope of the U.S. Arecibo Observatory. The receiving surface area of FAST is 250,000 square meters, about the size of 30 standard football fields.
FAST is also believed to be the world's most sensitive single-dish radio telescope, and is 10 times more sensitive than the 100-meter Radio Telescope Effelsberg in Germany.
Read More at https://news.cgtn.com/news/2021-03-31/Tech-Breakdown-Five-facts-about-world-s-biggest-radio-telescope-FAST-Z1zELnlrWw/index.html
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