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Telescopes

ASTRON is responsible for the operations of the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope (WSRT) and the Low Frequency Array (LOFAR).

Astronomy

The astronomical research at ASTRON is closely aligned with the strengths of our facilities LOFAR and WSRT-APERTIF.

Diversity & Sustainability

ASTRON is committed to achieving a fair, welcoming, and sustainable work environment for all.

Beschermingszones


Met onze radiotelescopen nemen wij de meest zwakke signalen uit het heelal waar. Daardoor zijn zij kwetsbaar voor elektromagnetische storing. Met het tijdig treffen van de juiste maatregelen kan storing worden voorkomen.

Wireless Data Lab


Draadloze techniek lijkt vanzelfsprekend, maar de ontwikkeling ervan gaat niet vanzelf. Daarom hebben we bij ASTRON een proeftuin ingericht; het Wireless Data Lab.

Making discoveries
in radio astronomy
happen.

ASTRON is the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy, and is part of the Institutes organisation of NWO.
STORIES

ERC Starting Grant Awarded to Dr. Aditya Parthasarathy

The European Research Council (ERC) has awarded Dr. Aditya Parthasarathy a prestigious and extremely competitive grant to pursue his research at ASTRON, the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy.

News
Science
Published by the editorial team, 5 September 2023

Radio waves leaking from large satellite constellations could jeopardize astronomical exploration

The LOFAR radio telescope has shown that satellites can unintentionally emit radio waves that interfere with the observations of radio telescopes. Satellites circle the globe in ever increasing numbers. Their radio emission could, if not addressed, close unique and scientifically valuable windows into the Universe. It is of crucial importance for the astronomy sector and industry to collaborate to overcome these issues and for the International Telecommunications Union to establish regulation to control this emission.

Astronomy
LOFAR
News
Science
Published by the editorial team, 5 July 2023

Pulsar clocks open new window on gravitational waves

An international collaboration of European astronomers, together with Indian and Japanese colleagues, have seen evidence for ultra-low-frequency gravitational waves, which is expected to originate from pairs of supermassive black holes found in the centres of merging galaxies. This is the result of more than 25 years of observations with the most sensitive radio telescopes in Europe and India, including the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope (WSRT). In doing so, they have opened a new window on gravitational wave research. These gravitational waves contain information about the Universe's best-kept secrets. The research has been published in a series of articles in the professional journal Astronomy & Astrophysics.

Astronomy
News
WSRT-APERTIF
Published by the editorial team, 29 June 2023

Astronomers discover Fast Radio Bursts that skewer nearby Galaxy

Astronomers have found five new Fast Radio Bursts with the upgraded Westerbork radio telescope array. The telescope images revealed that multiple bursts had pierced our neighbouring Triangulum Galaxy. This allowed the astronomers to determine the maximum number of otherwise invisible atoms in this galaxy for the first time.

Astronomy
News
telescopes
WSRT-APERTIF
Published by the editorial team, 12 April 2023

ERC Advanced Grant for research into the origin of fast radio bursts from space

Animation explaining the workings of LOFAR

NAC 2023 to be held in Leeuwarden in May

ASTRON astronomy groups focus on LOFAR and SKA

Major upgrade of International LOFAR Telescope approved

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DAILY IMAGE

SRCnet Tangerine planning at IAA

© Janneke de Boer

SKA regional center (SRC) team Tangerine came together to plan for the upcoming PI. We co-located with the in Granada located team Coral, who focus on integration several prototyping components.

The SRCnet (SKA Regional Centre Network; see also daily image of 3 July this year) will develop the network of nodes needed to support the data access of the SKA, several teams have been set up to build prototypes for components and systems that will have to run in those systems. Team Tangerine focusses on the development of a science analysis platform.

In week 36, most of team “Tangerine” came together with SRCnet team “Coral” in Granada (Spain) at IAA to plan for the upcoming program increment (PI, the next 3 months).

For the upcoming PI, the team will focus on several things, including the way to access the catalog of processing services and the software distribution system. Next to this we will be working on building the user interface for the science platform.

In the picture, you see the IAA, the team members from Tangerine and Coral who were present at the IAA, hardworking Tangerines, and an overview of the work planned by Tangerine for PI20.

ASTRON daily image.
EVENTS

Open dag

Sun 08 Oct 2023

Op zondag 8 oktober organiseren ASTRON en Stichting LofarTafel samen met Het Drentse Landschap een open dag in de LofarZone tussen Buinen en Exloo, waar het hart ligt van LOFAR, de grootste radiotelescoop ter wereld! Onze open dag vindt dit jaar dus NIET plaats in Dwingeloo. Er worden excursies over natuur en astronomie gegeven, er […]

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