AS HE MENTIONED, TO EXPLORE MARS, SCIENTISTS USED A SPACECRAFT EQUIPPED WITH A CAMERA THAT ORBITS THE RED PLANET -- BUT WHAT IF WE COULD HEAR ALL THE WAY TO THE END OF THE GALAXY FROM RIGHT HERE ON EARTH?
WE CAN CERTAINLY HEAR A LITTLE FURTHER NOW, AFTER THE LARGEST RADIO TELESCOPE IN THE WORLD OPENED THIS PAST SUNDAY. A TELESCOPE IS AN OPTICAL INSTRUMENT DESIGNED TO MAKE DISTANT OBJECTS APPEAR NEARER – BUT THIS IS A RADIO TELESCOPE, WHICH IS USED TO DETECT RADIO EMISSIONS FROM THE SKY.
IT’S IN GUIZHOU PROVINCE, CHINA; IT AND AT MORE THAN 16-HUNDRED FEET ACROSS -– IT’S A RECORD SETTER.
THE TELESCOPE IS CALLED FAST – WHICH IS AN ACRONYM FOR FIVEHUNDRED-METER APERTURE SPHERICAL TELESCOPE; AND IT WAS MADE USING 45-HUNDRED 36-FOOT-LONG PANELS. THAT DESIGN WILL LET RESEARCHERS MAKE ADJUSTMENTS TO THE SHAPE OF THE DISH.
EVEN THOUGH SCIENTISTS LISTED A SERIES OF THINGS FAST ‘MIGHT’ DO, LOTS OF PEOPLE ARE EXCITED BECAUSE IT COULD ALSO SEARCH FOR INTELLIGENT EXTRATERRESTRIAL LIFE – LIKE ET, OR YODA….
NOT EVERYONE WAS HAPPY ABOUT WHERE IT’S BUILT THOUGH, SINCE 8,000 PEOPLE WERE FORCED OUT OF THEIR HOMES, TO CREATE ENOUGH SPACE FOR THE MOUNTAINTOP TELESCOPE
Instructional Links
Website Article & Diagram: Science, World's Largest Radio Telescope http://www.sciencemag.org/news/2016/09/world-s-largest-radio-telescope-will-search-dark-matter-listen-aliens
Website Article: SKA, What Is Radio Astronomy? https://www.skatelescope.org/radio-astronomy/
Video: PBS LearningMedia:Scientist Profile: Galactic Astronomer http://ideastream.pbslearningmedia.org/resource/42e050ec-e853-42da-bb1c-4b18f07cd300/42e050ec-e853-42da-bb1c-4b18f07cd300/
Experiment: Science Online, A Paper Towel Tube Telescope http://online.infobase.com/Auth/Index?aid=19102&itemid=WE40&printableId=89431
Classroom Resources: Amazing Space, Telescopes from the Ground Up http://amazingspace.org/resource_page/229/space_telescopes/topic#resource_tab