1.28 GHz MeerKAT Galactic Center Mosaic tactile model

This tactile surface relief model represents the Galactic Center as observed by the MeerKAT radio telescope at a frequency of 1.28 GHz. It was created using AstroTouch (https://github.com/enzoperesafonso/AstroTouch), a tool developed to transform astronomical data into tactile 3D models for use in outreach with blind and visually impaired communities.

The data is based on the MeerKAT Galactic Center Mosaic, as presented in Heywood et al. (2022). The intricate filaments and bright radio sources of our galaxy’s core are rendered here as physical features that can be explored by touch.

MeerKAT is operated by the South African Radio Astronomy Observatory (SARAO), a facility of the National Research Foundation (NRF), an agency of the Department of Science and Innovation (DSI) of South Africa.

This model is part of an ongoing effort to promote accessible astronomy and inclusive science communication. Feel free to remix, print, and share!