| New developments in all fields of astronomy have brought
the current generation of astronomers to the brink of probing the origin
and evolution of the Universe as a whole. Planning for the next generation
of facilities leads to the conclusion that a revolutionary new instrument
at radio wavelengths is needed, one with an effective collecting area more
than 30 times greater than the largest telescope ever built. Such a telescope
will reveal the dawn of galaxy formation, as well as a plethora of other
new discoveries in all fields of astronomy.
Vigorous technological developments in computing and radio frequency
devices make it possible for such a telescope to be built within the next
decade, and the international radio astronomical community is proposing
that such a telescope, with a million square metres of collecting area,
be the next major radio telescope to be built. The project has acquired
the appellation, the Square Kilometre Array.
What's new
|
