Uncategorized news
May 11: 75 years of the hydrogen line in the Netherlands — from Kootwijk to Westerbork and SKA
On 11 May 1951, the predecessor of ASTRON (the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy) observed the 21-centimeter radiation of neutral hydrogen for the first time in the Netherlands. Since then, this radio emission has become one of the most important tools in modern astronomy.
Innovative radio receiver sees its first light on the Westerbork telescope
In the continuing quest to observe the sky as never before possible, ASTRON develops novel technologies for radio telescopes that allow astronomers to see farther, faster, and at more frequencies. These same innovations are leveraged for satellite tracking and other remote sensing applications. With the development of the Ambient L-band Feed (ALF), ASTRON is charting a new course where such measurements can be done using less power and requiring less maintenance of the equipment. Recently, first light measurements using the ALF prototype receiver demonstrated the power of this novel technology by revealing a pulsar across a broader range of radio wavelengths than Westerbork has ever measured before.
In Memoriam: Albert-Jan Boonstra
It is with deep sadness we share the news that our longtime colleague, Albert-Jan Boonstra, has passed away on Friday, August 1.