"Sky eye" completed FAST radio telescope to explore the origin of the universe
The telescope cabin
Bird's 500-meter aperture spherical radio telescope
The world's largest single-aperture spherical radio telescope (FAST) projectJuly 3 10 o'clock in the morning Xu, in Guizhou province qiannan buyi autonomous State Pingtang County grams degrees town Jinke village "big Wo Dang" depressions, with, Chinese Academy of Sciences National Observatory Taiwan long yan Jun gave, world maximum of single caliber telescope FAST of last a reflection surface unit in rumble of firecrackers sound in the slowly lifting, in completed has two times air turned received and cable hanging fell to specified location Hou, was smooth installation in cable online.
This marks the "sky eye" FAST the main part of the project was successfully completed!
FAST English called "Five-hundred-meterAperture Spherical Radio Telescope," Chinese "500-meter aperture spherical radio telescope spherical Cap active reflection." As one of the most important scientific devices, FAST is the "Eleven-Five" State major science and technology infrastructure projects aimed at building the world's largest single-aperture radio telescope to achieve large sky area, high-precision astronomical observations.
FAST will greatly enhance our capacity to space exploration
According to the construction plan, FAST will be used to search and study pulsars in the universe, and so on. Experts, Pulsar Astrophysics Laboratory, you can study some special Astrophysical phenomena and evolution of the universe. If binary systems consisting of pulsars and black holes, scientists pulsars can be used to study a black hole spacetime. In addition, the pulsar is also a very accurate clock, is vital for deep space exploration.
In fact, pulsars, quasars, interstellar organic molecules and other important astronomical discoveries are associated with radio telescopes. Clear 10 based on astronomical observations in the history of the Nobel Prize, 6 from radio telescopes. In addition, the 500-meter aperture spherical radio telescope is built, space measurement and control ability by the orbit of the moon can be extended to the edge of the solar system, will provide important basis for Mars and other deep space research.
FAST radio telescope exactly how cows?
Unique skills: large-diameter see far
Most important parameter is the sensitivity of radio telescopes. Sensitivity is higher, stronger telescopes to detect weak radio capacity. In order to increase sensitivity, needs to expand the radio telescope's diameter. FAST Aperture has reached the world's highest--500 meters. In theory, FAST receives electromagnetic signals of 13.7 billion light-years, the distance is close to the edge of the universe.
According to the National Astronomical Observatory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences Vice Director Zheng Xiaonian introduction, FAST breaks through the radio telescope of the hundred-metre limit, equivalent to the size of 30 football fields. Built in FAST before, saved two of the largest radio telescope in the world: one is known as "the largest machine" Germany Bonn, 100-metre telescope, one was rated 20th century human head of the ten projects the United States Ah Lei Xibo 300-meter telescope.
FAST completion of sensitivity than Germany 100-meter telescope in Bonn about 10 times, overall performance than the United States Ah Lei Xibo 300-meter telescope at about 10 times. As the world's largest single-aperture telescope, FAST 20-30 years of world class equipment is expected in the next position.
Unique skills II: eye of flexible
According to the principle of FAST, when it is to observe celestial bodies, along with the change of location of heavenly bodies, spherical cap of 500 m of active reflector forming a diameter of 300 meters in real time on the transient paraboloid, and through the 300-meter parabolic surfaces together to electromagnetic waves.
Figuratively, if FAST an enormous eye, this giant eye eyeball diameter of 500 meters, and receives light eyes just 300 meters in diameter. FAST is to be gathered on this huge flexibility of the eyeball electromagnetic waves, observation of deep space.
Thanks to trick three: mm accuracy
FAST design goals, is a signal covering 30 football fields, gathered at the pill the size of space, otherwise, you cannot listen to the faint radio signals in the universe. Structure of the 500 meters, is covered with hair-like millimeter-scale accuracy. Woven cable network over more than 7,000 arms like the thickness of a steel cable, each are contained within a millimeter of Machining accuracy; precision of the final 500-meter antenna is three millimeters, a small panel of manufacturing accuracy is 1.5 mm.
Unique skill four: deep space Hunter
First of all, FAST to rush out of the milky way, looking for stars, especially the rapid rotation, high density, pulsar, found in FAST expects first year 50-80 extragalactic pulsar.
FAST may be observed early traces of the universe – the neutral hydrogen cloud movement, master the details of the interactions between galaxies, revealing the origin and evolution of the universe. Similar reason, FAST but also listening to some unique electromagnetic waves of light organic molecules in space, search for possible interplanetary communication signals and extraterrestrial life.
(Editors: Hao Long UN654)
2016-07-03 12:21:09
People's daily-people's daily
“观天巨眼”FAST射电望远镜完工 能探索宇宙起源
望远镜馈源舱高空俯瞰500米口径球面射电望远镜世界上最大单口径球面射电望远镜（FAST）工程 7月3日上午10时许，在贵州省黔南布依族自治州州平塘县克度镇金科村“大窝凼”洼地，随着中国科学院国家天文台台长严俊一声令下，世界最大的单口径望远镜FAST的最后一块反射面单元在隆隆的鞭炮声中缓缓起吊，在完成了二次空中转接并用缆索吊下滑到指定位置后，被顺利安装在索网上。
这标志着“观天巨眼”FAST的主体工程顺利完工！
FAST的英文全称为“Five-hundred-meterAperture Spherical radio Telescope”，汉语即“500米口径球冠状主动反射球面射电望远镜”。作为我国重要的大科学装置，FAST是“十一五”国家重大科技基础设施建设项目，旨在建造世界第一大单口径射电望远镜，以实现大天区面积、高精度的天文观测。
FAST将大大提升我国空间探测能力
根据建设规划，FAST将被应用于寻找和研究宇宙中的脉冲星等方面。专家介绍，脉冲星就像天体物理实验室，可以研究一些特殊天体物理和宇宙演化现象。如果发现脉冲星与黑洞组成的双星系统，科学家可以利用脉冲星去研究黑洞周围时空。此外，脉冲星也是非常精准的时钟，对于深空探测具有重要意义。
事实上，脉冲星、类星体、星际有机分子等重要天文发现都与射电望远镜有关。诺贝尔奖历史上明确基于天文观测的10项获奖成果中，有6项出自射电望远镜。此外，500米口径球面射电望远镜的建成使用，可以将我国空间测控能力由月球同步轨道延伸到太阳系边缘，将为我国火星探测等深空研究奠定重要基础。
FAST射电望远镜到底有多牛？
独门绝技一：大口径 看得远
射电望远镜最重要的指标参数就是灵敏度。灵敏度越高，望远镜探测微弱无线电的能力越强。而要想提高灵敏度，就需要扩大射电望远镜的口径。FAST的口径达到了世界之最——500米。理论上说，FAST能接收到137亿光年以外的电磁信号，这个距离接近于宇宙的边缘。
据中科院国家天文台副台长郑晓年介绍，FAST突破了射电望远镜的百米极限，相当于30个足球场那么大。在FAST建成以前，世上已存的最大射电望远镜有两个：一个是号称“地面最大的机器”的德国波恩100米望远镜，一个是被评为人类20世纪十大工程之首的美国阿雷西博300米望远镜。
FAST建成后，其灵敏度将比德国波恩100米望远镜提高约10倍，综合性能将比美国阿雷西博300米望远镜提高约10倍。作为世界最大的单口径望远镜，FAST有望在未来20～30年保持世界一流设备的地位。
独门绝技二：灵活自如的巨眼
根据FAST的工作原理，当它观测天体时，会随着天体的方位变化，在其500米的球冠状主动反射面上实时形成一个300米直径的瞬时抛物面，并通过这个300米的抛物面来汇聚电磁波。
形象地来说，如果把FAST比作一只巨大的眼睛，那么这只巨眼的眼球直径就有500米，而负责接收光线的眼珠直径就有300米。FAST就是靠这个巨大灵活的眼珠来汇聚电磁波、观测深空。
独门绝技三：毫米精度
FAST的设计目标，是把覆盖30个足球场的信号，聚集在药片大小的空间里，否则，就无法监听到宇宙中微弱的射电信号。500米的结构，处处都是头发丝般毫米级的精度要求。用来编织索网的7000多根手臂般粗细的钢缆，每一根的加工精度都被控制在一毫米以内；最终的500米口径的天线精度是三个毫米，每一块小面板的制造精度是1.5个毫米。
独门绝技四：深空猎手
首先，FAST能够冲出银河系，寻找新星，特别是快速旋转、密度极高的脉冲星，FAST期望第一年就找到50-80颗银河系外的脉冲星。
FAST还可能观察到早期宇宙的蛛丝马迹——中性氢云团的运动，掌握星系之间互动的细节，揭秘宇宙的起源和演化。类似的道理，FAST还能监听到一些太空有机分子发出的独特电磁波，搜索可能的星际通讯信号和外星生命。
(责任编辑：郝龙 UN654)
2016-07-03 12:21:09
人民网-人民日报