Heading 569: Heading to FAST

Shen Qi borrowed a car from the Guiyang Mathematical Association, and he will drive his daughter to Kedu Town.

The car rental had already been arranged, and the Guiyang Mathematics Association thoughtfully installed a child seat in the car and asked Shen Qi if he needed a local guide.

Shen Qi declined their offer; he just wanted to spend some quiet time with his daughter.

The second day of the May Day holiday.

Shen Qi and his daughter got into the car, Shen Qi manually drove for one kilometer before entering the intelligent highway network section.

"Xiao Qing, switch to autopilot mode," Shen Qi said to the steering wheel.

A sweet female voice sounded inside the car, "Okay, according to the preset route, Xiao Qing has switched the owner to Level 4 autonomous driving mode. A child seat has been detected. Would you like Xiao Qing to play a song suitable for children?"

Before Shen Qi could reply, Shen Nuo Fei said fluently, "I want to hear <You're a Liar>."

Xiao Qing was silent for a few seconds, probably analyzing the audio data.

After a moment, Xiao Qing said, "I'm about to play 'You're a Liar' for you and your little master. Xiao Qing friendly reminder: Level 4 autonomous driving requires driver intervention in emergency situations. There are many roads, but safety is paramount. Drive responsibly, and don't let your loved ones suffer. Have a wonderful time in Kedu Town, Master and your little master!"

The upbeat music of "You're a Liar" played in the car. Shen Qi let go of the steering wheel and released the accelerator. While talking to Nofi, he didn't forget to keep an eye on the road.

Xiao Qing is an in-car AI, which Shen Nuo Fei is very familiar with; the AI in her parents' car is even more advanced.

With the continuous improvement of autonomous driving technology and intelligent highway networks, some sections of roads in some regions of China have achieved Level 4 autonomous driving. In the foreseeable future, Level 5, or fully autonomous driving, will enter the stage of commercialization and popularization.

After exiting the intelligent highway network and entering the county road, Shen Qi switched to manual driving mode, and the father and daughter arrived in Kedu Town in the afternoon.

The 500-meter-diameter China Sky Eye Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope) is the world's largest Radio Telescope, located in the Dawodang karst depression not far from Kedu Town.

The primary purpose of China Sky Eye is scientific research, but it is very famous and attracts many tourists.

There are shuttle buses from Kedu Town to the China Sky Eye Telescope) viewing platform, and most tourists choose to take the bus during the day.

Shen Qi and his daughter moved into the staff dormitory of the Chinese Academy of Sciences in Kedu Town. The Chinese Academy of Sciences is the competent authority of the China Sky Eye, and a large number of astronomers and astrophysicists are stationed in Kedu Town for a long time.

Room 79649, this is where Shen Qi and his daughter are staying.

The one-bedroom apartment wasn't large, but it was clean and tidy. An Optical Telescope sat under the living room window, its lens pointing towards the sky.

Asteroid 79649 is also known as "Nan Rentong Star". This apartment was originally room 202, which was Academician Nan's room, and was later converted into room 79649.

Shen Qi went to the Optical Telescope under the window. The 10-inch Schmidt- Green telescope was manufactured in 2007 and was the equipment that Academician Nan used before his death.

In one corner of the living room, there is a domestically made 15-inch Optical Telescope, as well as two portable binoculars.

Academician Nan's 10-inch Schka telescope is not allowed to be taken out of the room in principle, so the Chinese Academy of Sciences prepared a brand new 15-inch Optical Telescope and binoculars for Shen Qi and his daughter.

The 15-inch Optical Telescope was a large device, and it took Shen Qi a lot of effort to move it into the trunk of the car.

As the sun set, Shen Qi drove his daughter to the China Sky Eye -hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope).

Opening the car window, the fresh air soothed her lungs, and Shen Nuo Fei contentedly squinted her eyes. "So comfortable."

In areas with severe smog, it is difficult to conduct astronomical observations using Optical Telescope, and even Radio Telescope observations are affected to some extent.

There are no heavy industrial factories around China Sky Eye, making it an excellent site for astronomical observation.

The enormous ear, with a diameter of 500 meters, lies quietly among the mountains, listening to sounds and signals from the depths of the universe.

The setting sun casts its golden light upon the surface of FAST.

"So this is the big eye?" Shen Nuo Fei was puzzled when she saw the China Sky Eye). It didn't look like an eye at all.

"FAST, or this big guy in front of you, Nofi, is more accurately called the China Sky Ear, because it's for listening, hence the name 'ear'."

Shen Qi picked up the binoculars and shook them. He explained to Nofi, "This small telescope in Dad's hand is Optical Telescope. You can see the stars directly through it; it's an eye."

Shen Qi pointed to FAST and said, "That's Radio Telescope. It can hear rays and radio waves in the universe, thus quantitatively and qualitatively describing stars. It's like an ear. Optics and radio astronomy are very difficult concepts for Nofi to understand. You may not understand them at all now, but that's okay, you'll understand them later."

"Those are the eyes." Nofi glanced at the binoculars, then looked at the massive 500-meter aperture Radio Telescope: "Those are the ears, I understand now."

"Nofi is great."

Shen Qi parked the car and began installing the 15-inch Optical Telescope.

As night fell, tourists in the Dawodang karst depression gradually returned to Kedu Town or went to other towns.

Shen Qi installed the 15-inch Optical Telescope and tested it successfully.

Under the night sky, everything was so quiet.

The temperature difference between day and night is significant in the mountains, so Shen Qi took out a woolen shawl and wrapped it around Nofi.

Shen Qi adjusted the eyepiece to a position where Nofi could observe, and he squatted down. The father and daughter stood head to head, gazing at the brilliant Milky Way and trying to identify the stars, some bright and some dim, in the night sky.

"Nofi, do you know that the place we live in is called Earth? Earth is a star, and in the universe, there are many, many different stars."

"So beautiful!"

Saturn is a superstar in the night sky, a beautiful little sphere floating in a black velvet-like field of view, surrounded by delicate rings, making Saturn so unique.

Jupiter is the behemoth of the Solar System. Its foreign name is Jupiter, which corresponds to Zeus in Greek mythology. The strange and ever-changing clouds of Jupiter make it look like a colorful beach volleyball, suspended in the air by invisible ropes.

Shen Qi guided Nofi to look into the deeper and more distant reaches of the universe. The absolute magnitude of Ophiuchus Alpha is 0.96, and it is bright and captivating even from 54 light-years away.

Shen Nuo Fei, observing the stars for the first time, developed a strong interest in them. "Dad, do people live on those stars?"

Shen Qi shook his head and said, "We haven't discovered any other inhabitants on other stars yet."

Nophie asked, "Can we stay here?"

"Dad doesn't know the answer to that question either. When Nofi grows up and learns a lot, you'll be able to study the stars and the mysteries of the universe on your own."

"Then I want to grow up quickly, Daddy, I'm hungry."