世界最大射電望遠鏡中國「超級天眼」（ＦＡＳＴ），九月二十五日在貴州省平塘縣落成啟用，從概念到選址再到建成，耗時二十二年。「超級天眼」口徑達五百公尺，理論上能接收到一百三十七億光年以外電磁訊號。九月中旬以來，射電望遠鏡進行試驗性觀測工作，在九月十七日的一次觀測中，成功接收到一組約來自一千三百五十一光年外一顆脈衝星發出的脈衝訊號。
在貴州建造的FAST射電望遠鏡靈敏度約為世界第二大同類望遠鏡的兩倍
中國平塘縣——數百名工程師和建築工人在中國西南地區凸凹不平的山丘間爬上爬下，在一個碗狀的深窪地裡組裝一座巨型望遠鏡期間，貧窮的村民們有時會悄悄在爬上陡峭的山坡，目睹本國最新的技術奇蹟。
「我們以前從沒有見過這種東西，完全想像不出來。這是個大圓頂，一口大鐵鍋。」66歲的村民黃樟榮（音）說。他是一名木匠，皮膚被太陽曬得粗糙不平。
這口鐵鍋是目前世界上最大的單口徑射電望遠鏡，經過五年多的施工，於本週日（9月25日）正式竣工，國家電視台對此進行了喜氣洋洋的報導。修建這個名為「500米口徑球面望遠鏡」（簡稱FAST）的目的是，把中國科學的雄心投向宇宙深處，為國家帶來激動人心的發現和諸如諾貝爾獎這樣的榮譽。
也許甚至還能帶回來自外星人的信息。
這架望遠鏡坐落在貴州省一個壯美但貧困的地區，是中國進入世界科學大國行列計劃的化身。「大鍋」由4450片精確拼裝起來的三角形面板組成，總面積為19.6萬平方米，大約相當於450個籃球場。這架望遠鏡口徑為500米，其靈敏度大約是世界上第二大的單口徑射電望遠鏡阿雷西沃望遠鏡（Arecibo Observatory）的兩倍。阿雷西沃望遠鏡位於波多黎各，口徑為302米。
天文學家將用貴州的望遠鏡來測繪宇宙的形狀和組成，因為其巨大的面積和懸掛在鏡面上的可調控接收機，這架望遠鏡比更小的望遠鏡能更快、更深、更徹底地探索太空。中國官方媒體最近的報導稱，望遠鏡總投資12億元，但從其大小來看，這個數額似乎過低。為了確保項目不受干擾，政府對9000多人進行了移民安置。
中國的科學往往被看作是為國家經濟和軍事擴張服務的，是為了堅定地追求實實在在的回報。
但這台望遠鏡顯示，北京政府也願意花費重金把中國推進全球科研佼佼者的行列，研究除了知識和聲望外，很少給人帶來直接回報的東西。
「天文學是幾乎沒有直接實際用途的『純』科學的一種最高表現形式，」北京大學科維理天文與天體物理研究所所長何子山（Luis C. Ho）在一封電郵中說。「這種奢侈品只有最先進的經濟體才能享受。」
中國在上幾個世紀受西方欺負的歷史，堅定了中國人的一個信念：科技實力對任何現代化強國來說必不可少。畢竟，中國古人就擅長研究天文。
「現在我們正在迎頭趕上，我們要通過復興天文學來重現祖先的榮耀，」中國科學院國家天文台的天體物理學家張承民在接受採訪時說。「中國不僅是個經濟大國，也正在成為一個科學大國。」
但是，天文學研究也有賴於國際合作。雖然中國對這架望遠鏡的自主創新大吹大擂，但它也使用了一些外國的設備。作為望遠鏡關鍵組成部分的接收機就是澳大利亞的技術。國外的科學家將被邀請來參加研究工作，這架望遠鏡將進行的許多大型工作都會以國際合作的方式開展。
澳大利亞聯邦科學與工業研究組織（Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial
Research Organization）的資深天文學家道格拉斯·博克（Douglas Bock）說，「射電天文學是一個非常國際化的領域。科學研究上的合作自然而然就會導致在儀器和新望遠鏡方面的許多更深層次的技術合作。」貴州望遠鏡的接收機就是這家研究機構製造的。
貴州的這個地區遍布著可溶性岩石，億萬年來，這些岩石的溶解和侵蝕形成了擁有天然洞穴的起伏山巒。這種壯觀的地貌也把當地居民限制在與世隔絕的艱難生活中，他們在山巒之間的狹窄窪地裡種植玉米和金銀花。
然而，這種地貌為射電望遠鏡提供了一個近乎理想的環境。這裡人煙稀少，山巒形成的天然屏障可以阻擋無線電噪聲和風，讓精密儀器在捕捉深空微弱信號時少受干擾。
即使如此，數千名「望遠鏡移民」中也不是所有的人都願意離開。
紐約時報 － 國際縱覧
The world's largest radio telescope
began searching for signals from stars and galaxies and, perhaps,
extraterrestrial life Sunday in a project demonstrating China's rising
ambitions in space and its pursuit of international scientific prestige.
Beijing has poured billions into
such ambitious scientific projects as well as its military-backed space
program, which saw the launch of China's second space station earlier this
month.
Measuring 500 meters in diameter,
the radio telescope is nestled in a natural basin within a stunning landscape
of lush green karst formations in southern Guizhou province. It took five years
and $180 million to complete and surpasses that of the 300-meter Arecibo
Observatory in Puerto Rico, a dish used in research on stars that led to a
Nobel Prize.
The official Xinhua News Agency said
hundreds of astronomers and enthusiasts watched the launch of the
Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope, or FAST, in the county of
Pingtang.
Researchers quoted by state media
said FAST would search for gravitational waves, detect radio emissions from
stars and galaxies and listen for signs of intelligent extraterrestrial life.
"The ultimate goal of FAST is
to discover the laws of the development of the universe," Qian Lei, an
associate researcher with the National Astronomical Observatories of the
Chinese Academy of Sciences, told state broadcaster CCTV.
"In theory, if there is
civilization in outer space, the radio signal it sends will be similar to the
signal we can receive when a pulsar (spinning neutron star) is approaching
us," Qian said.
Installation of the 4,450-panel
structure, nicknamed Tianyan, or the Eye of Heaven, started in 2011 and was
completed in July.
The telescope requires a radio
silence within a 5-kilometer (3-mile) radius, resulting in the relocation of
more than 8,000 people from their homes in eight villages to make way for the
facility, state media said. Reports in August said the villagers would be compensated
with cash or new homes from a budget of about $269 million from a poverty
relief fund and bank loans.
CCTV reported that during a recent
test, the telescope received radio signals from a pulsar that was 1,351
light-years from Earth.
Measuring 500 meters in diameter,
the radio telescope is nestled in a natural basin within a stunning landscape
of lush green karst formations in southern Guizhou province. It took five years
and $180 million to complete and surpasses that of the 300-meter Arecibo Observatory
in Puerto Rico, a dish used in research on stars that led to a Nobel Prize.
The official Xinhua News Agency said
hundreds of astronomers and enthusiasts watched the launch of the
Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope, or FAST, in the county of
Pingtang.
Researchers quoted by state media
said FAST would search for gravitational waves, detect radio emissions from
stars and galaxies and listen for signs of intelligent extraterrestrial life.
"The ultimate goal of FAST is
to discover the laws of the development of the universe," Qian Lei, an
associate researcher with the National Astronomical Observatories of the
Chinese Academy of Sciences, told state broadcaster CCTV.
"In theory, if there is
civilization in outer space, the radio signal it sends will be similar to the
signal we can receive when a pulsar (spinning neutron star) is approaching
us," Qian said.
Installation of the 4,450-panel
structure, nicknamed Tianyan, or the Eye of Heaven, started in 2011 and was
completed in July.
The telescope requires a radio
silence within a 5-kilometer (3-mile) radius, resulting in the relocation of
more than 8,000 people from their homes in eight villages to make way for the
facility, state media said. Reports in August said the villagers would be compensated
with cash or new homes from a budget of about $269 million from a poverty
relief fund and bank loans.
CCTV reported that during a recent
test, the telescope received radio signals from a pulsar that was 1,351
light-years from Earth.
The Five-hundred-metre Aperture
Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST) is nestled between hills in the mountainous
region of Guizhou
The radio telescope has double the
sensitivity of the Arecibo Observatory, and five to 10 times the surveying
speed, Xinhua said.
China has also completed the
construction of tourist facilities such as an observation deck on a nearby
mountain, reports said. Such facilities can be a draw for visitors—the one in
Puerto Rico draws about 90,000 visitors and some 200 scientists each year.
Earlier this month, China launched
the Tiangong 2, its second Space Station and the latest step in its
military-backed program that intends to send a mission to Mars in the coming
years. In August, the country launched the first quantum satellite experts said
would advance efforts to develop the ability to send communications that can't
be penetrated by hackers.
影片/取自YouTube，如遭刪除敬請見諒
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