3 minute read
MeerKAT marks fifth anniversary with conference and expansion
from Contact 15
BY SARAO COMMUNICATIONS
Since its inauguration in 2018, South Africa’s MeerKAT radio telescope has been going from strength to strength. February saw scientists, researchers, and policy makers that have been involved in the development and scientific exploitation of MeerKAT gather for an international conference celebrating its successes. The same week saw the handover of the first dish in the telescope’s extension project called MeerKAT+.
The MeerKAT@5 conference was held at Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study near Cape Town from 20-23 February, and brought together key stakeholders who have contributed to the telescope’s development. More than 150 abstracts were submitted and 250 participants attended from across Africa, Europe, the USA, and Asia.
“We are not only celebrating a technological marvel but also reflecting on the profound scientific discoveries and advancements it has enabled,” Minister of Higher Education, Science and Innovation Dr Blade Nzimande said in his keynote address.
He also noted the positive impact investments in radio astronomy had on local towns such as Carnarvon, the town used as a gateway to the MeerKAT and SKAMid telescope site, highlighting such infrastructure developments including road construction, power networks, and telecommunication facilities to support the telescope’s operations.
“These activities have encouraged community involvement, sparked interest in science among residents, and fostered a sense of pride in their local scientific achievements. The presence of MeerKAT has attracted visitors from around the world, including scientists, researchers, and tourists interested in astronomy,” said Dr Nzimande.
The conference coincided with the handover of the first MeerKAT+ antenna on 21 February, marked by a ceremony in the Karoo. It is the first of 14 antennas of the MeerKAT extension project, which is being jointly financed by Germany’s Max Planck Society, SARAO and Italy’s National Institute of Astrophysics. The MeerKAT extension will be integrated, along with the existing 64 MeerKAT dishes, into the SKA-Mid telescope in the future.
The expansion of the MeerKAT telescope will further deepen the scientific and technological cooperation that has already begun through the close collaboration between SARAO and its international partners as part of MeerKAT.
"The project only started in 2019 and it is great to see that the first successes of this joint project are now visible," said SARAO Managing Director Pontsho Maruping. "The MeerKAT+ expansion project will significantly improve the sensitivity, angular resolution and image quality of the MeerKAT radio telescope.”
The expansion of MeerKAT increases the sensitivity of the receiving systems by around 50%, enabling not only much faster mapping of the sky but also the detection of extremely weak astronomical sources.
