This first image, from an early working version of the SKA-Low telescope, using just 1,000 of the planned 131,000 antennas, gives an exciting indication of the scientific revelations that will be possible with the world’s most powerful radio observatory.

SKA-Low is one of two telescopes under construction by the SKA Observatory, co-hosted in Australia and South Africa on behalf of its member states and the global community. The image shows an area of sky of about 25 square degrees – equivalent to approximately 100 full Moons.

In it we see around 85 of the brightest known galaxies in that region, all of which contain supermassive black holes. When complete, the same area of sky will reveal much more – scientists calculate the telescope will be sensitive enough to eventually show more than 600,000 galaxies in the same frame.