The Africa Millimetre Telescope

M. Backes; C. Müller; J. E. Conway; R. P. Deane; R. Evans; H. Falcke; R. Fraga-Encinas; C. Goddi; T. P. Krichbaum; M. Klein Wolt; G. MacLeod; V. A.R.M. Ribeiro; F. Roelofs; Z. Q. Shen; H. J. Van Langevelde

The Africa Millimetre Telescope

M. Backes, C. Müller, J. E. Conway, R. P. Deane, R. Evans, H. Falcke, R. Fraga-Encinas, C. Goddi, T. P. Krichbaum, M. Klein Wolt, G. MacLeod, V. A.R.M. Ribeiro, F. Roelofs, Z. Q. Shen, H. J. Van Langevelde

Research output: Contribution to journal › Conference article › peer-review

Abstract

It is believed that supermassive black holes are found in the centres of galaxies, including the Milky Way. Still, only indirect evidence has been gathered for the existence of these enigmatic objects that are predicted by the general theory of relativity. With the Event Horizon Telescope, a Very Long Baseline Interferometry network of millimetre-wave (radio) telescopes, it will be possible to directly image the 'shadow' of the event horizon of the black hole at the centre of the Milky Way, Sgr A∗. Although the Event Horizon Telescope utilises an extensive network of telescopes, there is a huge gap in the coverage of the u-v-plane for these observations across Africa. We discuss the benefits of adding the Africa Millimetre Telescope to the Event Horizon Telescope and present Mt. Gamsberg in Namibia as the best site for this new and first mm-wave telescope in Africa.

Original language	English
Article number	029
Journal	Proceedings of Science
Volume	2016-January
Publication status	Published - 2016
Event	4th Annual Conference on High Energy Astrophysics in Southern Africa, HEASA 2016 - Cape Town, South Africa Duration: Jan 13 2016 → …

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Cite this

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title = "The Africa Millimetre Telescope",

abstract = "It is believed that supermassive black holes are found in the centres of galaxies, including the Milky Way. Still, only indirect evidence has been gathered for the existence of these enigmatic objects that are predicted by the general theory of relativity. With the Event Horizon Telescope, a Very Long Baseline Interferometry network of millimetre-wave (radio) telescopes, it will be possible to directly image the 'shadow' of the event horizon of the black hole at the centre of the Milky Way, Sgr A∗. Although the Event Horizon Telescope utilises an extensive network of telescopes, there is a huge gap in the coverage of the u-v-plane for these observations across Africa. We discuss the benefits of adding the Africa Millimetre Telescope to the Event Horizon Telescope and present Mt. Gamsberg in Namibia as the best site for this new and first mm-wave telescope in Africa.",

author = "M. Backes and C. M{\"u}ller and Conway, {J. E.} and Deane, {R. P.} and R. Evans and H. Falcke and R. Fraga-Encinas and C. Goddi and Krichbaum, {T. P.} and {Klein Wolt}, M. and G. MacLeod and Ribeiro, {V. A.R.M.} and F. Roelofs and Shen, {Z. Q.} and {Van Langevelde}, {H. J.}",

year = "2016",

language = "English",

volume = "2016-January",

journal = "Proceedings of Science",

issn = "1824-8039",

publisher = "Sissa Medialab Srl",

note = "4th Annual Conference on High Energy Astrophysics in Southern Africa, HEASA 2016 ; Conference date: 13-01-2016",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - The Africa Millimetre Telescope

AU - Backes, M.

AU - Müller, C.

AU - Conway, J. E.

AU - Deane, R. P.

AU - Evans, R.

AU - Falcke, H.

AU - Fraga-Encinas, R.

AU - Goddi, C.

AU - Krichbaum, T. P.

AU - Klein Wolt, M.

AU - MacLeod, G.

AU - Ribeiro, V. A.R.M.

AU - Roelofs, F.

AU - Shen, Z. Q.

AU - Van Langevelde, H. J.

PY - 2016

Y1 - 2016

N2 - It is believed that supermassive black holes are found in the centres of galaxies, including the Milky Way. Still, only indirect evidence has been gathered for the existence of these enigmatic objects that are predicted by the general theory of relativity. With the Event Horizon Telescope, a Very Long Baseline Interferometry network of millimetre-wave (radio) telescopes, it will be possible to directly image the 'shadow' of the event horizon of the black hole at the centre of the Milky Way, Sgr A∗. Although the Event Horizon Telescope utilises an extensive network of telescopes, there is a huge gap in the coverage of the u-v-plane for these observations across Africa. We discuss the benefits of adding the Africa Millimetre Telescope to the Event Horizon Telescope and present Mt. Gamsberg in Namibia as the best site for this new and first mm-wave telescope in Africa.

AB - It is believed that supermassive black holes are found in the centres of galaxies, including the Milky Way. Still, only indirect evidence has been gathered for the existence of these enigmatic objects that are predicted by the general theory of relativity. With the Event Horizon Telescope, a Very Long Baseline Interferometry network of millimetre-wave (radio) telescopes, it will be possible to directly image the 'shadow' of the event horizon of the black hole at the centre of the Milky Way, Sgr A∗. Although the Event Horizon Telescope utilises an extensive network of telescopes, there is a huge gap in the coverage of the u-v-plane for these observations across Africa. We discuss the benefits of adding the Africa Millimetre Telescope to the Event Horizon Telescope and present Mt. Gamsberg in Namibia as the best site for this new and first mm-wave telescope in Africa.

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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=85031324433&partnerID=8YFLogxK

M3 - Conference article

AN - SCOPUS:85031324433

SN - 1824-8039

VL - 2016-January

JO - Proceedings of Science

JF - Proceedings of Science

M1 - 029

T2 - 4th Annual Conference on High Energy Astrophysics in Southern Africa, HEASA 2016

Y2 - 13 January 2016

ER -

The Africa Millimetre Telescope

Abstract

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

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