Staff Writer
Namibia will host Africa’s first millimetre-wavelength radio telescope after a contract was signed to begin construction of the Africa Millimetre Telescope (AMT), which will form part of the global Event Horizon Telescope network.
The telescope will be built near the H.E.S.S. observatory close to the Gamsberg table mountain.
The location offers high altitude, a dry climate and low radio interference, making it suitable for astronomical observations.
The University of Namibia (Unam) welcomed the development and said the project places Namibia and the African continent in global astrophysics research.
Once completed, the telescope will join the Event Horizon Telescope network, a system of radio observatories around the world that work together as one Earth-sized telescope.
In 2019, the network produced the first image of a black hole.
Scientists say placing a telescope in Namibia will fill a gap in the global network and improve the system’s ability to observe black holes and study how matter behaves in strong gravitational environments.
The improved network will also help researchers move beyond still images and begin observing how black holes and their surroundings change over time.
The project is being developed through an international partnership that includes Radboud University in the Netherlands, the University of Oxford, the University of Amsterdam, the University of Namibia, the University of South Africa and the University of Turku.
The telescope will be constructed by German engineering company mtex antenna technology, which builds scientific antenna systems.
The instrument will consist of a robotically operated 14-metre dish designed to observe radio signals from space at high frequencies. It will connect with other telescopes around the world to combine observations.
Unam vice chancellor Kenneth Matengu said the project strengthens Namibia’s role in global research.
“The Africa Millimetre Telescope represents a significant step in positioning Namibia and the African continent at the forefront of global scientific discovery. Through this partnership, Namibia is not only hosting world-class infrastructure but also developing the skills, research capacity, and international collaborations necessary to contribute meaningfully to humanity’s understanding of the universe,” he said.
Scientists involved with the project say the telescope will create opportunities for Namibian students, engineers, and researchers to participate in international science and technology programs.
Namibia already hosts the H.E.S.S. gamma-ray observatory and plans to expand research facilities on the Gamsberg Plateau.
Researchers say the telescope will support training in astronomy, data science, engineering and computing and help develop African scientists.
Funding for the telescope comes from the European Research Council through the BlackHolistic research programme, with support from the Dutch Research Council and other partners.
Once operational, the telescope will help scientists study black holes, neutron stars and other cosmic events.
Captions
Photo 1 – Officials attend the signing and project launch for the Africa Millimetre Telescope at mtex antenna technology headquarters in Wiesbaden, Germany on 22 January.
- Photo: Selina Roessler (mtex antenna technology).
Photo 2 – The Africa Millimetre Telescope will be built near the Gamsberg table mountain and will become part of the global Event Horizon Telescope network studying black holes.
- Photo: Tobias Will (mtex antenna technology)
