The Pune-based National Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA) is all set to host the five-day annual International Pulsar Timing Array (IPTA) meet from June 17 to 21.  

• The IPTA is a collaboration of radio astronomers from a dozen countries across the globe.  
• It uses more than 12 radio telescopes all over the world with an aim to detect ultra-low frequency gravitational waves.  

• More than 40 expert international astronomers and 30 international students are expected to participate in the event, besides several Indian participants. 
• “The upgrade of the Giant Metrewave Radio Telescope (GMRT) in Pune and the Ooty Radio Telescope (ORT) has helped us meet the parameters for being a full member of the IPTA. 
• The current status of the quest for ultra-low frequency Gravitational Waves and the roadmap for future technical and scientific challenges is to be the main focus of the meeting. 
• These waves are wrinkles in space-time produced by two massive black holes, each revolving around the other.  
• Such black holes, which weigh billion times more than our Sun, are found in the centres of colliding galaxies.  

• These waves affect radio pulses from 10km size stars called radio pulsars by changing ever so slightly the period of radio pulsation of these stars. 

Source: Indian Express