Professor Blade Nzimande, Minister of the Department of Science and Innovation (DSTI) will launch the world’s largest class near-infrared (NIR) prime focus camera, on Friday afternoon, the 31st of January 2025 in Sutherland, Northern Cape.
The PRIME-focus Infrared Microlensing Experiment (PRIME) is a focus camera, able to do microlensing surveys to planets beyond ours.
Although it is the world’s first NIR microlensing to survey planets, it is seen as an effort to boost the country’s exoplanet discovery and time-domain astronomy capabilities.
The wonder project is a brainchild of a joint initiative of the National Research Foundation’s Astronomical Observatory NRF-SAAO, Osaka University, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Centre, the University of Maryland, and the Astrobiology Centre of Japan.
This cutting-edge 1.8-meter wide-field telescope, with the world’s largest class near-infrared (NIR) prime focus camera, is the latest addition to the Sutherland plateau.
The plateau is known as the “Gateway to the Universe” and the Land of snow and stars.
Esteemed scientists in the science fraternity are expected to attend the event.