Next week, South Africa will inaugurate the largest telescope in the Southern Hemisphere, hoping to become a destination for stargazers. This information was announced by the country’s Minister of Science and Technology over the weekend.
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The South African Large Telescope is situated on a windy hilltop |
President Thabo Mbeki will officially inaugurate the South African Large Telescope (SALT) on Thursday next week at an observatory near the town of Sutherland. According to Minister of Science and Technology Mosibudi Mangena, Sutherland is geographically advantageous due to its location in the dry and remote Karoo region, which boasts clear skies ideal for astronomical observations.
From the Southern Hemisphere, researchers can study and observe specific areas of the universe in greater detail, such as galaxies surrounding the Milky Way. This is why many scientists are drawn to the Southern Hemisphere. Additionally, many ordinary people are expected to visit Sutherland to admire the telescopes. Mr. Mangena believes that the establishment of SALT will certainly boost the science tourism industry in South Africa.
SALT is a massive telescope with a hexagonal shape and a diameter of 12 meters. It is composed of numerous smaller hexagonal mirrors. This device will enable scientists to observe stars and faint galaxies up to a billion times better than the human eye can see. It will also observe quasars—celestial objects that appear similar to bright stars but are actually black holes at the centers of galaxies.
Quasars are the most distant objects in the universe. The light we receive from them was emitted billions of years ago when they were young. Therefore, observations will shed light on the evolution of the universe.
Mr. Mangena also mentioned that South Africa is striving to be selected as the site for the construction of the world’s largest telescope—a nearly $1 billion international project. The winning country will be announced in 2008. Scientists hope it will help trace the origins of stars and galaxies, as well as the formation of planets.
Minh Sơn (According to AFP)
