Dwingeloo Radio Observatory
Encyclopedia
The Dwingeloo Radio Observatory (near Dwingeloo
, m. Westerveld
, in the northeastern Netherlands
), 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. As of 2000, it was no longer in operation in an official capacity and since August of 2009 is officially a Dutch industrial heritage monument.
The "C.A. Muller Radio Astronomy Station" foundation ("CAMRAS" for short), established on January 29, 2007, restored the telescope to working order, with the consent of ASTRON
, the owner of the telescope. More information about CAMRAS can be found at http://camras.nl/.
Paul Boven (JIVE
, CAMRAS), along with radio amateurs and amateur astronomers, use the telescope for projects, one being EME (communications)
. EME, also known as moonbounce, allows for people on different parts of Earth to communicate via the Moon. In this technique, radio wave signals are aimed at the Moon by one location, bounce off the Moon's surface, and are detected by an antenna at a different location on Earth.
The site of the Dwingeloo Radio Observatory also houses most of the staff of ASTRON
, and a test site for LOFAR
.
Two galaxies are named after this telescope: Dwingeloo 1
and Dwingeloo 2
.
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...
, 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...
), is a single dish radio telescope
Radio telescope
A radio telescope is a form of directional radio antenna used in radio astronomy. The same types of antennas are also used in tracking and collecting data from satellites and space probes...
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. As of 2000, it was no longer in operation in an official capacity and since August of 2009 is officially a Dutch industrial heritage monument.
The "C.A. Muller Radio Astronomy Station" foundation ("CAMRAS" for short), established on January 29, 2007, restored the telescope to working order, with the consent of ASTRON
ASTRON
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...
, the owner of the telescope. More information about CAMRAS can be found at http://camras.nl/.
Paul Boven (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...
, CAMRAS), along with radio amateurs and amateur astronomers, use the telescope for projects, one being EME (communications)
EME (communications)
Earth-Moon-Earth, also known as moon bounce, is a radio communications technique which relies on the propagation of radio waves from an Earth-based transmitter directed via reflection from the surface of the Moon back to an Earth-based receiver....
. EME, also known as moonbounce, allows for people on different parts of Earth to communicate via the Moon. In this technique, radio wave signals are aimed at the Moon by one location, bounce off the Moon's surface, and are detected by an antenna at a different location on Earth.
The site of the Dwingeloo Radio Observatory also houses most of the staff of ASTRON
ASTRON
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...
, and a test site for 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....
.
Two galaxies are named after this telescope: Dwingeloo 1
Dwingeloo 1
Dwingeloo 1 is a barred spiral galaxy about 10 million light-years away from the Earth, in the constellation Cassiopeia. It lies in the Zone of Avoidance and is heavily obscured by the Milky Way...
and Dwingeloo 2
Dwingeloo 2
Dwingeloo 2 is a small irregular galaxy discovered in 1996 and located about 10 million light-years away from the Earth. Its discovery was a result of Dwingeloo Obscured Galaxy Survey of the Zone of Avoidance...
.