Another successful MeerKAT Public Open Day on the South African SKA site

The second MeerKAT Public Open Day was an even greater success than the first one, with members of the public coming from across South Africa to join a tour of the SKA site in the Karoo organised by the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO).

The visitors were transported over 90km from Carnarvon to the site and accompanied by SARAO ushers to share information about the day and interesting facts about the construction of MeerKAT and the surrounding site.

The visit included presentations by Dr Lindsay Magnus, SARAO Operations Manager and Professor Justin Jonas, SARAO Chief Technologist, after which the visitors were taken on a drive to the various instruments on site including the SKA prototype dish. They were also treated to an interactive tour, photo opportunity in the MeerKAT core and lunch in the dish shed.

“My deepest gratitude to everyone involved in making this Open Day such a great learning and fun experience! I went in overwhelmed by anxiety that I won’t belong and that it will only be scientific jargon that I wouldn’t be able to keep up with, but I’ve never been more glad to be so mistaken. Thank you again to the SARAO team for putting South Africa on the map of greatness” said Precious Mathabela from Soweto in Gauteng.

The next SARAO Public Open Day is planned for 25 March 2020.

By SARAO