A new telescope opens up distant galaxies
The new Southern African Large Telescope (SALT), rising from a Karoo koppie as a symbol of the new South Africa’s commitment to science and progress, has passed its first anniversary since groundbreaking. It will take South African scientists into realms they could only dream about before, starting the new century by giving them access to the largest telescope in the southern hemisphere. By some measures, it may be the largest in the world. The foundations and pilings are in place, and two towers (dome and optical alignment tower) stand on the observing plateau, not far from the existing telescopes of the South African Astronomical Observatory. It is due to be completed by 2005.
The new giant (with an effective maximum diameter of nearly 10m) will be designed for decoding starlight (breaking up the light of distant stars and galaxies into its component colours for detailed analysis).
With modern electronic detectors, SALT will be able to detect distant galaxies whose light is no brighter than a candle flame on the moon, galaxies so distant that their light started toward us when the universe itself was new.
In closer galaxies, where the light that reaches us is only as old as humanity, SALT will let us study the nature of distant suns, in regions where conditions are by no means the same as in our own neighbourhood.
Around stars where the light that reaches us started out only hundreds or thousands of years ago, SALT can search for planets around suns too distant for lesser telescopes. Here on Earth, SALT will gather light on its hill, a constant reminder of the ancient connection between earth and sky.
– The Teacher/M&G Media, Johannesburg, November 2001.