SA's telescopes set sights on becoming global player in astrononomy

South Africa's telescopes are doing more than just scanning the universe, they're changing how the world sees the country.  

In the Karoo desert, scientists have built the Meerkat telescope, with 64 dishes, now being incorporated into the larger Square Kilometre Array, which will include 197 dishes. 

The area is a strict radio-quiet zone – no cellphones, smartwatches or airpods are allowed. 
  
 With only the whirring of the dishes around you, it's easy to feel completely alone in this vast landscape.  

These conditions make it the ideal place for scientists to train a new generation and push the boundaries of what South Africa can achieve in science and technology.  

"Just being able to change that narrative about what you can do in a country on the southern tip of Africa… building the most technologically advanced instruments, creating capacity of engineers and scientists… it completely changes the narrative about what Africa is about and what South Africa is capable of," said the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO)'s managing director, Pontsho Maruping.

Since its inception, the Meerkat telescope has contributed to over 500 scientific publications, helping scientists answer some of the most complex questions about the universe.