Shijiazhuang, China: To listen for the whispers from the dawn of the universe.

The task facing the international astronomers that gathered in China to see a prototype radio telescope dish unveiled on Tuesday is big. So ambitious, that no one nation can tackle it alone.

Up to 3000 dishes, each 21 metres high, will eventually spread across the Australian outback and South African desert, to scan the skies and feed data back to super computers in Australia, China, Britain and Europe.

World’s first SKA dish is unveiled at an inauguration ceremony in Shijiazhuang, the capital city of Hebei Province on February 6, 2018. Credit:Sanghee Liu

The Square Kilometre Array (SKA) will be the world’s biggest piece of astronomical equipment after construction begins in two years time.