On the occasion of the SKAO Council meeting held on October 24 and 25, 2023, in Australia, all members of the SKAO Council were able to visit the SKA-LOW site, located on the traditional lands of the Wajarri Yamaji in the Murchison desert. The site is named « Inyarrimanha ilgari bundara », which means « Sharing Sky and Stars » in the Wajarri language.
SKA-LOW is one of two telescopes currently under construction at the SKA Observatory (SKAO). In particular, it is the instrument that will cover the low-frequency part of the electromagnetic spectrum, between 50 and 350 MHz. It will provide unique capabilities for observing the Universe, enabling, for example, the study of the distribution of neutral hydrogen gas at the dawn of the cosmos, when the first light sources began to form.
All the SKA Observatory teams are very excited to see their project become a reality after all these years of hard work. The first 256 antennas installed are now being used for initial calibration tests, and the images below bear witness to their size! Finally, the last picture, rather empty for the moment, will be filled with over 130,000 antennas in a few years' time !
Chiara Ferrari, astronomer, director of SKA-France.