[Explanation] The 500-meter-aperture spherical radio telescope (FAST) located in Pingtang County, Guizhou Province is currently the world's largest single-aperture radio telescope, known as the "China Sky Eye".

The main control room of China Skyeye is the "brain" of the telescope, and all operations of the telescope are completed in the main control room.

How do the science and technology workers in the control room work?

Recently, the reporter came to China SkyEye's general control room to visit.

　　[Explanation] Sun Chun, a measurement and control engineer at China SkyEyes, joined in 2012 and is responsible for the overall planning of the observation plan. Sun Chun has nearly 9 years of work experience. Her work is the "first pass" of the entire observation work.

　　[Concurrent] Sun Chun, China Skyeye Measurement and Control Engineer

　　This observation plan is that we issue observation commands every day, and I will give it to the control side. After they send them down, they will make the telescope move, so I can’t make mistakes in this piece, because if I make a mistake, it will Then wrong.

　　[Explanation] After the measurement instruction was issued, FAST measurement engineer Song Benning performed position and pointing operations on the 30-ton "China Sky Eye" feed cabin and reflecting surface according to the instruction.

　　[Concurrent] Song Benning, China SkyEye Survey Engineer

　　What we have done is to provide a precise positioning for the feed cabin. We ensure that it can accurately reach the focal point of the reflecting surface and accurately receive the electromagnetic waves converged by the reflecting surface.

As long as the telescope is moving, we are always observing.

Including many measurement equipment on our site, we have to maintain it frequently, and then make sure that its accuracy can meet the requirements of our telescope.

　　[Explanation] To "capture" the weak radio waves from celestial bodies in the depths of space, the "eyes of the sky" must ensure that they are not interfered by surrounding radio signals.

At present, various protection measures for the "eye of the sky" have been strictly implemented, and external interference factors have been resolved.

The internal electronic devices also have interference, and solutions have been obtained after years of exploration.

　　[Concurrent] Song Benning, China SkyEye Survey Engineer

　　First of all, our equipment is also an electronic mechanical equipment, which itself will also cause interference to the telescope, so how to do its shielding measures to reduce its impact on the telescope or prevent it from affecting the telescope.

The accuracy of this has to be guaranteed, so this is quite difficult.

We did not finally finalize a plan until 2018 and 2019 after a long period of exploration and experimentation.

　　[Explanation] Commands are issued from the front-end and collected through the Sky Eye. The relevant observation data is sent to the end data center for centralized processing. The operation and maintenance engineer Huang Menglin is responsible for the construction, operation and maintenance of the data center.

　　[Concurrent] Huang Menglin, Operation and Maintenance Engineer, China SkyEye Data Center

　　The main responsibility of our data center is to store and manage the massive astronomical data generated by FAST every day, and then provide these data to astronomers for processing, and then we provide him with a storage and computing platform to ensure that they process the data in a timely manner. Produce scientific results in a timely manner.

　　[Explanation] "Small wins make big wins" is a true portrayal of Huang Menglin's work. In Huang Menglin's view, the overall smooth operation of China Sky Eye must be closely coordinated by scientific workers in each position.

　　[Concurrent] Huang Menglin, Operation and Maintenance Engineer, China SkyEye Data Center

　　We all just do our own little things, but the accumulation of these little things is to run FAST well, and then FAST is released, especially this year, which has produced world-wide scientific research results. We feel very proud of this.

　　[Explanation] "China Sky Eye" will be officially opened to the global scientific community from April 2021.

In the face of more foreign scientists, how to do a good job of docking and service, Chinese ophthalmologists are ready.

　　[Concurrent] Sun Chun, China Skyeye Measurement and Control Engineer

　　Welcome the broad masses of aspiring young people to devote themselves to Tianyan, which is the operation and maintenance of Daguo Heavy Equipment.

Let us burn our youth in this great youth of our lives, and then for everyone, it is a very lucky job for me to participate in such a project in my entire life, and a job I am proud of.

　　Wang Xi, Zhang Wei, Qu Honglun, Guizhou Qiannan Report Some materials come from: National Astronomical Observatory, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Editor in charge: [Wang Kai]