Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder

Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder
Antennas of the ASKAP telescope at the Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory in Western Australia
Part ofAustralia Telescope National Facility
Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory
Square Kilometre Array Edit this on Wikidata
Location(s)Western Australia, AUS
Coordinates26°41′46″S 116°38′13″E / 26.696°S 116.637°E / -26.696; 116.637 Edit this at Wikidata
OrganizationCSIRO Edit this on Wikidata
Telescope styleradio interferometer Edit this on Wikidata
Websitewww.atnf.csiro.au/projects/askap/ Edit this at Wikidata
Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder is located in Australia
Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder
Location of Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder
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The Australian Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder (ASKAP) is a radio telescope array located at Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory (MRO) in the Mid West region of Western Australia.

The facility began as a technology demonstrator for the international Square Kilometre Array (SKA), an internationally planned radio telescope which will be larger and more sensitive.[1] The ASKAP site has been selected as one of the SKA's two central locations.[2]

It is operated by the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and forms part of the Australia Telescope National Facility.[3] Construction commenced in late 2009 and first light was in October 2012.[4][5]

ASKAP consists of 36 identical parabolic antennas, each 12 m (39 ft) in diameter, working together as a single astronomical interferometer with a total collecting area of approximately 4,000 m2 (43,000 sq ft). Each antenna is equipped with a phased-array feed (PAF), significantly increasing the field of view. This design provides both fast survey speed and high sensitivity.

  1. ^ "SKA Factsheet for Journalists" (PDF). SKA Project Development Office (SPDO). Skatelescope.org. Retrieved 13 April 2011.
  2. ^ "Report of the SKA Siting Options Working Group" (PDF). SKA Organisation. Skatelescope.org. 14 June 2012.
  3. ^ "The Australia Telescope National Facility". CSIRO. Retrieved 13 April 2011.
  4. ^ "ASKAP Fast Facts" (PDF). CSIRO. Retrieved 13 April 2011.
  5. ^ Fingas, Jon (5 October 2012). "Australia Square Kilometre Array Pathfinder goes live as the world's quickest radio telescope". Engadget. Retrieved 7 October 2012.

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