CSIRO has helped transform the University of Sydney's radio telescope into a world-class instrument, and along the way has learned lessons for its own ASKAP (Australian SKA Pathfinder) telescope. Both telescopes will help demonstrate Australia's technological expertise in its bid to host the world's largest and most advanced radio telescope - the Square Kilometre Array (SKA). The University of Sydney runs what was the Molonglo Observatory Synthesis Telescope (MOST) near Canberra. It contracted CSIRO to help develop signal-processing systems - a filterbank and correlator - to dramatically boost the telescope's performance. The upgrade has made the telescope more flexible, three times more sensitive, with ten times more bandwidth [up from 3 MHz to 30 MHz], and able to make better-quality images of objects in space. Read more
The Molonglo Observatory Synthesis Telescope (MOST) is operated by the School of Physics of the University of Sydney. The telescope is located near Canberra, and was constructed by modification of the East-West arm of the former One-Mile Mills Cross telescope. Construction of the original telescope was begun in 1960 by Emeritus Professor Bernard Y. Mills; in recognition of this pioneering work and other innovative contributions to radio astronomy Bernie Mills was awarded the 2006 Grote Reber medal.
The Molonglo Observatory Synthesis Telescope was formerly called the Mills Cross Telescope. It was rebuilt and is now operated by the School of Physics of the University of Sydney.
Work vital to Australia's bid to host the world's most ambitious radio telescope has been delayed by interference from Telstra's mobile phone network, scientists claim. The usefulness of the Molonglo observatory near Canberra, where test work for the $2billion global astronomy project is being carried out, is uncertain despite a secret truce with Telstra over the interference. Australia is up against South Africa as a short-listed host for the Square Kilometre Array, a radio telescope so sensitive it may shed light on the birth and death of the cosmos. It may also confirm whether or not Einstein has said all there is to say about gravity.