The Square Kilometre Array Observatory

When constructed, the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) will be the World’s largest Radio Observatory. Its observations at unprecedented sensitivity will help to solve some of the biggest questions in the field of astronomy and give astronomers insight into the formation and evolution of the first stars and galaxies after the Big Bang, the role of cosmic magnetism, the nature of gravity, and possibly even life beyond Earth. This paper provides a description of the SKA Observatory and its main sub-systems.