Australia launches one of world's fastest telescopesOctober 6, 2012 - 12:41 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - Australia has launched one of the world's fastest telescopes tasked with surveying outer space and probing the origins of stars and galaxies, according to BBC News. The Australian Square Kilometer Array Pathfinder (Askap) in Western Australia's outback has 36 antennas with a diameter of 12m each. The A$152m ($155m) telescope is expected to capture radio images, starting from Friday.Askap forms part of the world's biggest radio telescope project. The telescope is located at the Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory, 315km (196 miles) north-east of Geraldton in the Western Australian desert. Dr John O'Sullivan, from Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, says that while the telescope is not very big, "it is still a very, very powerful survey instrument to start to get a look [at] the origins of galaxies". "It is the beginning of a great new period, I think," he said. It will be able to scan the sky much faster than existing telescopes. The location, in a remote area, means there is limited interference from man-made radio signals. Scientists say that the telescope will generate a huge amount of information. One of the research projects it will be used for is to look for black holes. The Askap is part of the bigger Square Kilometer Array (SKA) that is set to begin construction in 2016. SKA, set to become the world's biggest radio telescope project based in South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, aims to answer key questions about the Universe. Top stories Yerevan will host the 2024 edition of the World Congress On Information Technology (WCIT). Rustam Badasyan said due to the lack of such regulation, the state budget is deprived of VAT revenues. Krisp’s smart noise suppression tech silences ambient sounds and isolates your voice for calls. Gurgen Khachatryan claimed that the "illegalities have been taking place in 2020." Partner news Most popular in the section | Titus, Bilirakis lead legislation to sanction Azerbaijani war criminals Representatives Dina Titus (D-NV) and Gus Bilirakis (R-FL) have introduced the bipartisan legislation. Azerbaijan must respect human rights, Scholz tells Aliyev German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has called for greater respect for human rights in Azerbaijan. Armenia: Defense Ministry warns against involving army in political processes The Ministry’s statement came after a video surfaced online, showing soldiers joining the protests in Tavush. Scholz hopes Armenia-Azerbaijan peace treaty will be signed this year German Chancellor Olaf Scholz hopes that a peace treaty between Armenia and Azerbaijan will be signed this year. |