MeerKAT Telescope [UPSC Notes]

Astronomers utilized machine learning to extract data from South Africa’s MeerKAT telescope which studies the evolution of the Universe. Read on to know more about MeerKAT telescope, an important topic for the IAS exam, science and technology segment.

MeerKAT Telescope: 

• The MeerKAT telescope consists of an array of 64 antenna dishes that analyze radio signals from space to study the evolution of the universe.
• MeerKAT telescope is one of the important telescopes in the southern hemisphere along the lines of the Giant Magellan telescope which is under construction in Chile and the James Webb Space Telescope.
• As of now, MeerKAT is the largest and most sensitive telescope in the southern hemisphere.
• An antenna structure consists of a main reflector, sub-reflector and all receivers, digitisers and other electronics installed.
• The MeerKAT telescope works on the basis of receptors in an antenna receiving electromagnetic waves from a radio source.
• Each MeerKAT receptor consists of three main components:

• •  The antenna positioner, which is a steerable dish on a pedestal
  • A set of radio receivers;
  • A set of associated digitisers.
• Then the components of the receptor such as digitisers will convert the receiving radio frequency (RF) voltage signal into digital signals using an electronic component called an analogue to digital converter (ADC).
• Then the digital signals are sent through the fiber cables for further digital processing to combine all signals to form an image of an area of the sky. 
• The original name of the telescope was Karoo Array Telescope (KAT) which consists of up to 20 receptors and with an increase in budget by the South African government to increase the number of receptors up to 64 the telescope was renamed “MeerKAT” – ie “more of KAT”.
• Meerkats are small mammals that live in burrows in Africa. They are social and live in groups of up to 30 individuals by cooperating with each other.

Source: South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)

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