World's largest single-aperture spherical telescope ready to work

Photo taken on April 10, 2016 shows the single-aperture spherical telescope "FAST" in Pingtang county, Southwest China's Guizhou province. [Photo/Xinhua]

China's single-aperture spherical telescope "FAST" is ready to begin working as the feed cabin installation has been completed in the Southwest province of Guizhou.

The 30-ton feed cabin, hoisted up to 130 meters above the telescope's reflector, is the core part of FAST.

National Astronomical Observatories of China Deputy head Zheng Xiaonian explains the function of the feed cabin.

"It is the receiver of the FAST and the receiver is the most important part. It receives all the signals collected by FAST."

The cabin, driven by cables and automatic systems, can move with high precision.

FAST is the largest telescope of its kind in the world, overtaking the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico.

It's now receiving signals, and debugging work is underway.