| Description: | A memorable event took place today when the first soil was turned for the location of EMBRACE at the Westerbork site. EMBRACE is the prototype of the Aperture Array concept, one of the techical concepts that is being considered for the giant Square Km Array (SKA) radio telescope. It is a key part of the European SKADS program that is pursued by ASTRON, Observatoire de Paris, MPIfR (Bonn) and INAF (Bologna) and consists of 2 elements: one EMBRACE of about 200 m2 in Westerbork, and one at the Nancay observatory. When it is ready in early 2009, this unique concept will endeavour to demonstrate its astronomical potential and technical feasibility.
The picture shows Dion Kant as EMBRACE project manager and Jan Pieter de Reijer from the Westerbork observatory overlooking the site between telescopes 5 and 6. The picture was taken from an approx. 5000 year old burial mound neighbouring the telescopes which of course remains at an adequate distance and completely in tact. |
