China to open world’s largest radio telescope to international scientists in April

China will officially open the world’s largest single-dish radio telescope to international scientists, starting April 1.

The 500-metre Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST) has a diameter of half a kilometre and had started operations in January last year. It has a receiving area equivalent to about 30 football fields.

Radio telescopes are designed to “listen” or “receive” signals emitted from the cosmos. With specialized antennas and radio receivers, these telescopes can detect radio waves from stars, galaxies and black hole. The data collected in turn help scientists better explore the universe.