SKA – the biggest radio telescope in the world!
photograph by Paul Bourke and Jonathan Knispel WASP (UWA), iVEC, ICRAR and CSIRO
We found out what all the excitement was about as former Bendigo local and current Deputy Director of the International Centre for Radio Astronomy, Professor Steven Tingay, returned to town to present a fascinating evening of astronomy. Professor Tingay is one of the country’s leading experts on radio astronomy and the world’s biggest radio telescope project – the Square Kilometre Array (SKA). We were lucky enough to get the chance to hear about Australia’s bid to host the SKA, the precursor telescopes being built in remote WA, and what the SKA will mean for future scientific discovery.
Professor Steven Tingay presented:
“From the end of the Earth to the beginning of the Universe: a tour of time with the Square Kilometre Array”
Prime Ministerial wife Tammie Fraser once famously declared the mid-west region of Western Australia “the end of the Earth”. It is the remoteness of this region and its very sparse population that makes the area the perfect location to build the most sensitive radio telescope ever – the Square Kilometre Array (SKA). Away from the radio interference produced by humans and their mobile phones, TV and radio transmitters, and industry, the SKA will detect the faint radio signals from early in the history of the Universe, allowing astronomers to probe the evolution of the Universe and its constituents, including the mysterious Dark Energy.
This event was in collaboration with Discover SKA, Bendigo District Astronomical Society, and Discovery Science and Technology Centre.
Related content:
Listen to Graeme Knight from Radio KLFM interviewing Peter Mead, President of the Bendigo District Astronomical Society on Saturday 21 May about the SKA and the upcoming event on the 25 May.
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Prior to the evening presentation at the Discovery Science and Technology Centre, Steven visited both his former high school, Catholic College Bendigo, and his primary school, Spring Gully. After talking with the students about his career in science and answering many questions, Steven was surprised by the Spring Gully students singing him both the school song and the Tingay House Song – named in his honour. For those interested in the colour of Tingay House – it’s red.
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Read more about Steven Tingay at his profile in Cosmos Magazine
Images from the event are below videos.
View videos from this event
Images from the event
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It was really great to hear Prof. Steven Tingay talk about this important project, he gave a very detailed and precise presentation.
We are now watching the clock to see who wins the bid for the SKA…
Cheers,
Peter Mead