News Overview
Two ERC Starting Grants awarded to (space) weather research projects with the LOFAR radio telescope
The European Research Council (ERC) has awarded two of its prestigious Starting Grants to ASTRON scientists for research projects using the LOFAR radio telescope. One project will use LOFAR to create detailed images of lightning on Earth, the other aims to detect space weather events and magnetic fields around exoplanets.
Jessica Dempsey appointed director of ASTRON
The board of the Dutch Research Council’s institute organisation has appointed Dr Jessica Dempsey as director of ASTRON, the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy.
Volcanic ‘activity’ in black holes blows monumental bubbles spanning hundreds of thousands of light years
An international team of researchers, which included astronomers from the Netherlands Institutes for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON) and Space Research (SRON) as well as Leiden University, observed the full extent of the evolution of hot gas produced by an active black hole for the first time.
Inheemse blik op de hemel in Leiden tentoongesteld
Op zaterdag 16 oktober opent de bijzondere tentoonstelling Onder onze hemel (origineel Shared Sky), een culturele blik op de sterrenhemel door Aboriginal Australische en Zuid-Afrikaanse artiesten, in de Oude Sterrewacht in Leiden.
Aurorae discovered on distant stars suggest hidden planets
Using the world’s most powerful radio telescope, LOFAR, scientists have discovered stars unexpectedly blasting out radio waves, possibly indicating the existence of hidden planets.
Periodic Fast Radio Burst found bare, unobscured by strong binary wind
By connecting two of the biggest radio telescopes in the world, astronomers have discovered that a simple binary wind cannot cause the puzzling periodicity of a Fast Radio Burst after all.
Most detailed-ever images of galaxies revealed using LOFAR
After almost a decade of work, an international team of astronomers has published the most detailed images yet seen of galaxies beyond our own, revealing their inner workings in unprecedented detail.
Vidi grant awarded to astronomer Harish Vedantham
Astronomer Harish Vedantham of the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy (ASTRON) and the University of Groningen has been awarded a ‘VIDI’ grant of 800,000 Euros from the Netherlands Organization for Scientific Research (NWO).
What does the start of construction of SKA mean for the project and the Netherlands?
At a historic meeting of its Council on 25 June 2021, the SKA Observatory (SKAO) saw its Member States give the green light for construction of the SKA telescopes in Australia and South Africa to commence. We spoke to Michiel van Haarlem, head of the Dutch SKA Office at ASTRON, about what this important milestone means.
Green light given for construction of world’s largest radio telescope arrays
At a historic meeting of its Council last week, the recently formed SKA Observatory (SKAO) saw its Member States approve the start of construction of the SKA telescopes in Australia and South Africa.
Apertif survey wraps up at end of 2021
The Apertif/ARTS surveys will wrap-up at the end of 2021. The WSRT observatory will of course continue to be operated, amongst other activities, as part of the European VLBI network.
The galaxy with a wagging tail
One of the most massive galaxies at the centre of the Abell 1775 cluster has a 2.5 million light-year long tail – twice as long as previously thought – that appears to be “wagging”.