ASTRON
Encyclopedia
ASTRON is the Netherlands Foundation for Research in Astronomy. ASTRON is an abbreviation of the Dutch Stichting ASTRonomisch Onderzoek in Nederland. This translates to NFRA in English, which is sometimes used to refer to ASTRON in English texts. Its main offices are in Dwingeloo
at the site of the Dwingeloo Radio Observatory
, m. Westerveld
, in the northeastern Netherlands
. ASTRON operates under the umbrella of the Dutch national research council, NWO
(Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek).
ASTRON's program has three principal elements:
In addition, ASTRON is active in the international science policy arena.
Recently, ASTRON, together with German firm EADS Astrium Space Transportation, has started promoting a new Moon project called LIFE
.
(WSRT), one of the largest radio telescopes in the world. The WSRT and LOFAR
- in the near future- are dedicated to explore the universe at radio frequencies from 8 GHz down to 10 MHz.
In addition to its use as a stand-alone radio telescope, the Westerbork array participates in the European Very Long Baseline Interferometry Network (EVN) of radio telescopes.
ASTRON is the host institute for the Joint Institute for VLBI in Europe (JIVE
). Its primary task is to operate the EVN MkIV VLBI Data Processor (correlator). JIVE
also provides a high-level of support to astronomers and the Telescope Network.
ASTRON is also the host for the Square Kilometre Array
(SKA) project and parts of the LOPES Project
.
At the Auger observatory in Chile, ASTRON is aiding the construction of a detector network to observe the radiation from cosmic particles.
and Spain
, ASTRON runs the optical telescopes of the Isaac Newton Group
on La Palma
: the 4.2-m diameter William Herschel Telescope
(WHT), the 2.5-m Isaac Newton Telescope
(INT), and until its closure in 2003, the Jacobus Kapteyn Telescope
.
In collaboration with the United Kingdom
and Canada
, ASTRON also runs the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope
(JCMT) in Hawaii. This is the largest astronomical telescope (15m) in the world designed specifically to operate in the submillimeter wavelength region of the spectrum.
ASTRON has contributed to the construction of different instruments for the European Southern Observatory
(ESO) Very Large Telescope
s, four 8-m telescopes located in the Atacama desert in Chile.
To these ends, the ASTRON facility in Dwingeloo maintains a well equipped R&D division specializing in the design, prototyping and qualification of:
Dwingeloo
Dwingeloo is a town halfway between Meppel and Assen in the Dutch province of Drenthe. It is a part of the municipality of Westerveld.The town is known internationally because of the radio telescope of the Dwingeloo Radio Observatory , located on the edge of the Dwingeloo Heath, 3 km south of...
at the site of the Dwingeloo Radio Observatory
Dwingeloo Radio Observatory
The Dwingeloo Radio Observatory , is a single dish radio telescope with a diameter of 25 m. Construction started in 1954, the telescope was completed in 1956. At that time it was the largest radio telescope in the world...
, m. Westerveld
Westerveld
Westerveld is a municipality in the northeastern Netherlands.The municipality Westerveld was established in 1998 out of de municipalities of Diever, Dwingeloo, Havelte en Vledder.Westerveld is being crossed by a channel the Drentsche Hoofdvaart...
, in the northeastern Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. ASTRON operates under the umbrella of the Dutch national research council, NWO
Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek
The Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek is a scientific research organization in the Netherlands....
(Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek).
Goals
ASTRON's goal is to enable discovery in astronomy. To this end ASTRON provides front-line observing capabilities for Dutch and international astronomers across a broad range of frequencies and techniques. This strategy is expected to regularly result in astronomical discoveries that significantly affect our understanding of the content, the structure and the evolution of the Universe.ASTRON's program has three principal elements:
- The operation of front line observing facilities, including especially the Westerbork Synthesis Radio TelescopeWesterbork Synthesis Radio TelescopeThe Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope is an aperture synthesis interferometer near camp Westerbork, north of the village of Westerbork, Midden-Drenthe, in the northeastern Netherlands. It consists of a linear array of 14 antennas with a diameter of 25 metres arranged on a 2.7 km East-West line...
and LOFARLOFARLOFAR is the Low Frequency Array for radio astronomy, built by the Netherlands astronomical foundation ASTRON and operated by ASTRON's radio observatory....
, - The pursuit of fundamental astronomical research using ASTRON facilities, together with a broad range of other telescopes around the world and space-borne instruments (e.g. Sptizer, HST etc.)
- A strong technology development program, encompassing both innovative instrumentation for existing telescopes and the new technologies needed for future facilities.
In addition, ASTRON is active in the international science policy arena.
Recently, ASTRON, together with German firm EADS Astrium Space Transportation, has started promoting a new Moon project called LIFE
Lunar Infrastructure For Exploration
The Lunar Infrastructure for Exploration is a project to build a space telescope on the far side of the Moon, and is actively promoted by EADS Astrium Space Transportation of Germany and the Netherlands Foundation for Research in Astronomy ASTRON...
.
Radiotelescopes
ASTRON operates the Westerbork Synthesis Radio TelescopeWesterbork Synthesis Radio Telescope
The Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope is an aperture synthesis interferometer near camp Westerbork, north of the village of Westerbork, Midden-Drenthe, in the northeastern Netherlands. It consists of a linear array of 14 antennas with a diameter of 25 metres arranged on a 2.7 km East-West line...
(WSRT), one of the largest radio telescopes in the world. The WSRT and LOFAR
LOFAR
LOFAR is the Low Frequency Array for radio astronomy, built by the Netherlands astronomical foundation ASTRON and operated by ASTRON's radio observatory....
- in the near future- are dedicated to explore the universe at radio frequencies from 8 GHz down to 10 MHz.
In addition to its use as a stand-alone radio telescope, the Westerbork array participates in the European Very Long Baseline Interferometry Network (EVN) of radio telescopes.
ASTRON is the host institute for the Joint Institute for VLBI in Europe (JIVE
JIVE
The Joint Institute for VLBI in Europe was formed in 1993 by the European Consortium for VLBI and is a member of the European VLBI Network . Very Long Baseline Interferometry is a type of astronomical interferometry used in radio astronomy...
). Its primary task is to operate the EVN MkIV VLBI Data Processor (correlator). JIVE
JIVE
The Joint Institute for VLBI in Europe was formed in 1993 by the European Consortium for VLBI and is a member of the European VLBI Network . Very Long Baseline Interferometry is a type of astronomical interferometry used in radio astronomy...
also provides a high-level of support to astronomers and the Telescope Network.
ASTRON is also the host for the Square Kilometre Array
Square Kilometre Array
The Square Kilometre Array is a radio telescope in development which will have a total collecting area of approximately one square kilometre. It will operate over a wide range of frequencies and its size will make it 50 times more sensitive than any other radio instrument...
(SKA) project and parts of the LOPES Project
LOPES (telescope)
The LOPES project is a cosmic ray detector array, located in Karlsruhe, Germany, and is operated in coincidence with an existing, well calibrated air shower experiment called KASCADE....
.
At the Auger observatory in Chile, ASTRON is aiding the construction of a detector network to observe the radiation from cosmic particles.
Optical telescopes
In collaboration with the United KingdomUnited Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
, ASTRON runs the optical telescopes of the Isaac Newton Group
Isaac Newton Group of Telescopes
The Isaac Newton Group of Telescopes or ING operates the William Herschel Telescope, Isaac Newton Telescope and Jacobus Kapteyn Telescope optical telescopes for the Science and Technology Facilities Council , the NWO and the IAC...
on La Palma
La Palma
La Palma is the most north-westerly of the Canary Islands. La Palma has an area of 706 km2 making it the fifth largest of the seven main Canary Islands...
: the 4.2-m diameter William Herschel Telescope
William Herschel Telescope
The William Herschel Telescope is a optical/near-infrared reflecting telescope located at the Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos on the island of La Palma in the Canary Islands, Spain. The telescope, which is named after William Herschel, is part of the Isaac Newton Group of Telescopes...
(WHT), the 2.5-m Isaac Newton Telescope
Isaac Newton Telescope
The Isaac Newton Telescope or INT is a 2.54 m optical telescope run by the ING at Roque de los Muchachos Observatory on La Palma in the Canary Islands since 1984....
(INT), and until its closure in 2003, the Jacobus Kapteyn Telescope
Jacobus Kapteyn Telescope
The Jacobus Kapteyn Telescope or JKT is a 1m optical telescope of the Isaac Newton Group of Telescopes on La Palma in the Canary Islands. It was funded by Netherlands and the United Kingdom and completed in the early 1980s. Planning procceded throughout the 1970s and it came online in 1983-1984...
.
In collaboration with the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, ASTRON also runs the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope
James Clerk Maxwell Telescope
The James Clerk Maxwell Telescope is a submillimetre-wavelength telescope at Mauna Kea Observatory in Hawaii. Its primary mirror is 15 metres across: it is the largest astronomical telescope that operates in submillimetre wavelengths of the electromagnetic spectrum...
(JCMT) in Hawaii. This is the largest astronomical telescope (15m) in the world designed specifically to operate in the submillimeter wavelength region of the spectrum.
ASTRON has contributed to the construction of different instruments for the European Southern Observatory
European Southern Observatory
The European Southern Observatory is an intergovernmental research organisation for astronomy, supported by fifteen countries...
(ESO) Very Large Telescope
Very Large Telescope
The Very Large Telescope is a telescope operated by the European Southern Observatory on Cerro Paranal in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile. The VLT consists of four individual telescopes, each with a primary mirror 8.2m across, which are generally used separately but can be used together to...
s, four 8-m telescopes located in the Atacama desert in Chile.
Technology development
Discovery in astronomy goes hand in hand with innovation in technology. ASTRON pursues an aggressive program of technical development, aimed both at providing innovative instrumentation for use on current observing facilities, and at laying the groundwork for future generations of telescopes and signal processing instrumentation.To these ends, the ASTRON facility in Dwingeloo maintains a well equipped R&D division specializing in the design, prototyping and qualification of:
- Low noise, ambient and cryogenic radio receiver systems (0.2 - 345 GHz)
- Very high speed digital electronics
- Antennas, especially in the array environment
- Advanced instrumentation for use at optical and infrared wavelengths
- Algorithm and software engineering for instrument control and for imaging