Location of the 500-meter spherical radio telescope (FAST)

The 500m spherical radio telescope (FAST) is a 500m spherical radio telescope located in Dawodang, Kedu Town, Pingtang County, Qiannan Buyi and Miao Autonomous Prefecture, Guizhou Province.

The telescope is led by the National Astronomical Observatory of Chinese Academy of Sciences. It has the independent intellectual property rights of China, and is the largest radio telescope with single aperture and the highest sensitivity in the world. The comprehensive performance is ten times that of the famous radio telescope Arecibo.

This telescope was conceived by China astronomer Nan in 1994. It took 22 years to build and was put into use on September 25th, 20th16th.

There are three reasons for choosing the site "Dawodang":

First, the landform is closest to the shape of FAST, and the excavation amount is the smallest;

Second, the karst geology here can ensure that rainwater penetrates underground and will not be deposited on the surface to damage and corrode the telescope;

Third, the radio telescope needs a "static soil". There are no towns and villages within 5km of Fiona Fang near "Dawodang", and the radio environment is ideal.

500-meter spherical radio telescope (FAST)