General Astrophysics

The Southern African Large Telescope (SALT)

The Southern African Large Telescope (SALT) is the largest single optical telescope in the southern hemisphere and among the largest in the world. It has a hexagonal primary mirror array 11 metres across, comprising 91 individual 1.2m hexagonal mirrors. SALT has a redesigned optical system resulting in a larger field of view and effective collecting area.

What is the SKA?

The SKA will be a revolutionary radio telescope made of thousands of receivers linked together across an area the size of a continent. The total collecting area of all the SKA receivers combined will be approximately one square kilometre, making the SKA the largest and most sensitive radio telescope ever built.

Without E=MC2 GPS Would Malfunction

The satellite navigation in your car or on your phone relies on a series of geostationary satellites to pinpoint your location, exchanging data using radio waves. Because of the theory of relativity, the speed at which the satellites’ onboard clocks tick is around 38,000 nanoseconds faster than clocks on the ground. Every time data is sent to the receiving device, a calculation must be applied to correct the timings to within the required 20-30 nanosecond accuracy.

Plasma Physics

What are the states of matter? Besides liquid, solid and gas, there is a fourth, less commonly understood state: plasma. Plasmas are created when the electrons surrounding an atom are stripped off by a strong external magnetic field or extreme temperatures. These extreme conditions exist inside the Sun as well as in many other astrophysical situations. Astronomers must study complex computer simulations to understand how these structures evolve and behave.

Space Weather

Weather isn’t just an earthly phenomenon. The solar wind created by the changing surface and magnetosphere of the Sun can wreak havoc on the electronics of satellites and electrical systems on Earth. It is responsible for the aurorae as well! Scientists at facilities like the SANSA station in Hermanus use ground and space based observatories to help predict the state of the space weather and mitigate their detrimental effects.

SlideShow

General Astrophysics

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