Keeping our eyes on the stars (and feet on the ground)

We’re busily preparing to show off our shiny new telescope, the Australian SKA Pathfinder, to the world. To mark the end of its construction, the telescope will be formally opened next Friday, 5 October. This time-lapse video shows the telescope’s 36 antennas standing tall in the breathtaking Western Australian landscape.

The antennas will begin making detailed pictures of distant galaxies in 2013. ASKAP has been designed to be able to survey the whole sky extremely quickly, providing the opportunity for astronomy projects never done before. Check out the ASKAP webcam or homepage for more information.

Next Friday also marks the official opening of the Murchison Radio-astronomy Observatory (MRO), where ASKAP is located.

CSIRO acknowledges the Wajarri Yamatji people as the traditional owners of the MRO site.