• SARAO proudly supports two Robotics teams from Carnarvon at inaugural FIRST LEGO League (FLL) Open Africa Championship

    Two star Robotics teams from Carnarvon High School will fly the flag high next week when they participate in the inaugural FIRST LEGO League (FLL) Open Africa Championship at the Cape Town International Convention Centre (CTICC) from 7 to 9 May 2025.

    Find out more about the upcoming event

  • Botswana joins growing African radio astronomy network with latest TART telescope installation

    Another Transient Array Radio Telescope (TART) instrument has been deployed in Botswana during a workshop held at the Botswana International University of Science & Technology (BIUST) from 17–21 March 2025.

    Read more on TART telescope installation

  • Milky Way’s cold gas clouds mapped in unprecedented detail by the MeerKAT Absorption Line Survey

    Using the data from the most sensitive radio telescope on Earth, the MeerKAT telescope in South Africa, an international team of astronomers has released the most comprehensive catalog of cold hydrogen gas in the Milky Way galaxy as part of the MeerKAT Absorption Line Survey

    Read more on cold hydrogen gas in the Milky Way galaxy

  • SARAO’s Big Data Africa School focusses on Earth Observation in equipping African students with data science skills needed for a changing climate and environment

    The South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO) successfully hosted its 5th Big Data Africa School at the Sun Square Hotel in Cape Town from 10 to 15 March 2025.

    Discover How 26 Students Harnessed Earth Observation & AI to Tackle Climate Challenges

  • SARAO hosts successful two-week DARA Training Programme at Hartebeesthoek

    The South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO) recently hosted the Development in Africa with Radio Astronomy (DARA) Training Programme, held from 8-22 February 2025 at the Hartebeesthoek Radio Astronomy Observatory (HartRAO).

    Read About the Success of the DARA Training Programme

  • Rhodes University and SARAO researchers find hidden treasures in archival MeerKAT observations

    Researchers from the Rhodes Centre for Radio Astronomy Techniques and Technologies (RATT), in partnership with collaborators from SARAO, Observatoire Paris Meudon, the University of Oxford, the Breakthrough Listen initiative, the University of Cape Town, and other institutions, have established a project to mine the MeerKAT telescope’s archive for previously overlooked transient radio sources.

    Read About the Groundbreaking Discoveries
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Pioneers of Radio Astronomy

The Square Kilometre Array will be the largest radio telescope ever built and will produce science that changes our understanding of the universe. In Africa the SKA will be built in South Africa and eight other African Countries. The South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO), a facility of the National Research Foundation, is responsible for managing all radio astronomy initiatives and facilities in South Africa, including the MeerKAT Radio Telescope, Geodesy and VLBI activities.

Find out more about SARAO

Programmes and Opportunities

2128+ Grants

awarded by academic level
Apply for 2026 Scholarships
460+ Research Publications

on MeerKAT data
Explore publications on the MeerKAT ADS public library
400+ Staff

Employees: Across science, engineering, technical, and administrative roles.
Join Our Team: Explore Vacancies

Featured News

Discover the latest breakthroughs, discoveries, and updates — exploring the universe’s wonders and advancing the frontiers of science.

View more news
Milky Way’s cold gas clouds mapped in unprecedented detail by the MeerKAT Absorption Line Survey

Milky Way’s cold gas clouds mapped in unprecedented detail by the MeerKAT Absorption Line Survey

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A most anticipated surprise: Rhodes University and SARAO researchers find hidden treasures in archival MeerKAT observations

A most anticipated surprise: Rhodes University and SARAO researchers find hidden treasures in archival MeerKAT observations

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SARAO proudly supports two Robotics teams from Carnarvon at inaugural FIRST LEGO League Open Africa Championship

SARAO proudly supports two Robotics teams from Carnarvon at inaugural FIRST LEGO League Open Africa Championship

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SARAO’s scientific findings + expert commentary, visualisation & an immersive experience

SARAO’s scientific findings + expert commentary, visualisation & an immersive experience

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SARAO’s Video Archives – Watch, Learn, Explore

Engaging content on SARAO’s research, telescope operations, and cosmic discoveries—explore interviews, updates, and stunning visuals

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Our journey through the remarkable construction of the South African MeerKAT telescope

Our journey through the remarkable construction of the South African MeerKAT telescope

SARAO’s scientific findings + expert commentary, visualisation & an immersive experience

SARAO’s scientific findings + expert commentary, visualisation & an immersive experience

Watch – Rising Star 360 – full dome planetarium film

Watch – Rising Star 360 – full dome planetarium film

SARAO People: Meet the experts behind SARAO—the minds driving innovation in radio astronomy and shaping the future of science.

Right-open-mini Right-open-mini Meet the Experts

Lemuel Haring – Software Developer

Prof. Roelf Botha – Manager of Geodesy

Vivienne Rowland – Science Communications Editor

Cutting-edge technological advancements

SARAO Science: Discover the science driving SARAO’s world-class research

Right-open-mini Right-open-mini Explore Science

Precision Array for Probing the Epoch of Re-ionisation project (PAPER)

MeerKAT Telescope

MeerKAT Digitiser

26m and 15m telescopes at Hartebeesthoek

A close-up view of a single MeerKAT radio telescope dish in the Karoo, reflecting sunlight against a backdrop of rugged terrain, symbolizing cutting-edge astronomical research

MeerKAT in Northern Cape, South Africa

The South African MeerKAT radio telescope, situated 90 km outside the small Northern Cape town of Carnarvon, is a precursor to the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) telescope and will be integrated into the mid-frequency component of SKA Phase 1. The MeerKAT telescope is an array of 64 interlinked receptors (a receptor is the complete antenna structure, with the main reflector, sub-reflector and all receivers, digitisers and other electronics installed). Discover how the MeerKAT telescope is built.

26m and 15m radio telescope for radio astronomy and geodesy in Hartebeesthoek Site, Johannesburg, South Africa

SARAO Hartebeesthoek Site is located west of Johannesburg, South Africa. built in 1961 by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) of the United States of America. An 85 foot = 26 metre diameter antenna was used to get data from, and send commands to, many unmanned US space probes going beyond Earth orbit. Discover Astronomy Instruments in Hartebeesthoek Site

SARAO’s Groundbreaking Digitizer Technology: Advancing Radio Astronomy

SARAO’s Groundbreaking Digitizer Technology: Advancing Radio Astronomy

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