CHESHIRE's Jodrell Bank has beaten off stiff competition from Italy to become the new HQ of the world's biggest telescope.

It will be used to test the theory of gravity, 'dark matter' and 'dark energy'; and perhaps even search for alien life

Members countries of the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) - including Australia, China, Germany and South Africa - have chosen the University of Manchester facility near Knutsford over the medieval Castello Carrarese castle, in Padua, Italy, to become the operational centre of hundreds of thousands of satelittle dishes and antennae spread across Austrailia and Africa (forming a collection area of one square kilometre - hence the name)

The Paduan site was considered the favourite, however, an improved financial bid of £200m from the University and the UK government swayed the SKA member states in Jodrell Bank's favour - it is etimated that the first stage of the massive SKA project will cost around €650m (£477m)

.Jodrell Bank beat off competition from the Castello Carrarese facility in Padua

The SKA will be the world's largest and most sensitive radio telescope - 50 times more sensitive and up to 10 000 faster than the best telescopes currently. It will be used to help scientists understand how the Universe evolved; how stars and galaxies are formed; test the theory of gravity, 'dark matter' and 'dark energy'; and perhaps even search for alien life.

It is hoped the telescope will be powerful enough to detect energy from 13 billion years ago, when the first stars and galaxies began to form.

.Artist's impression of the new Jodrell Bank facility

“Locating the headquarters of the Square Kilometre Array, the world’s largest radio telescope, at Jodrell Bank builds on The University of Manchester’s long legacy of world leading radio astronomy as well as the UK’s leading activities in data intensive science,” said Professor Colin Bailey, Deputy President and Deputy Vice-Chancellor of The University of Manchester. “More than 50 SKA staff are already at Jodrell Bank in a purpose-built building and we will now further develop the University’s site to meet the needs of this transformational project.”

Jodrell Bank - home to the Lovell Telescope - has been the provisional HQ of the SKA project since 2011. Construction is expected to begin in 2018 and the SKA is planned to be operational for at least 50 years.

For more information click here: jb.man.ac.uk/ska