China’s Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Radio Telescope (FAST), the largest and most sensitive radio telescope in the world, has achieved a groundbreaking milestone by identifying over 1,000 new pulsars.
This achievement surpasses the combined discoveries of all other international telescopes during the same period, according to the
China Daily, a partner of TV BRICS.
Pulsars, fast-spinning neutron stars formed from the collapsed cores of massive stars after supernova explosions, emit unique pulses and rotation frequencies. Often likened to cosmic lighthouses, these stellar remnants could one day guide humanity during interstellar exploration.
The experts highlighted its potential as a celestial navigation system, with pulsar coordinates and signal monitoring offering reliable guidance for space travellers.
Among the pulsars discovered by FAST are binary pulsars and millisecond pulsars, adding both diversity and depth to global pulsar studies. These findings are advancing knowledge of pulsar formation, evolution, and their role in astrophysical phenomena.
Situated in Guizhou province within a natural karst depression, the telescope’s 500-metre diameter provides a reception area equivalent to 30 football fields.
Operational since January 2020 and open to international collaboration from March 2021, FAST continues to lead the way in astronomical research, cementing China’s position at the forefront of cosmic discovery.
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