SpaceAustralia.com has been running the SpaceAusScope project since mid-December as part of its Inspiring Next-Gen program, with the aim of encouraging everyday Australians in learning about radio astronomy, how radio telescopes work and features of the Milky Way Galaxy.
Vanessa’s telescope - which is credited to the excellent work she has put into the build and collaboration with CSIRO CASS, is the first of several telescopes currently under construction.
The project currently has a large community of over 35 registered teams across Australia – all aiming to build their own DIY radio telescopes, and like Vanessa, successfully capturing the hydrogen line emanating from space.
Most teams across the project are currently in the build phase, which finalises at the end of March before the three-month (April – June) observation window opens.
By the end of the community science project – SpaceAustralia.com aims to have documentation available for a variety of DIY radio telescope models for future builders – esp. school students across the country.
The teams are sharing their experiences and journey through blogs, photos and more using the hashtag #SpaceAusScope across social media platforms.