News Overview
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.
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.
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.
ERC Advanced Grant for research into the origin of fast radio bursts from space
Jason Hessels, Professor of Observational High-Energy Astrophysics at the University of Amsterdam and Chief Astronomer at ASTRON, has been awarded a €3.5 million ERC Advanced Grant to search for the origin of fast radio bursts. Among other things, the research money will be used to develop new hardware to set up a coordinated network of European radio telescopes to study repeating FRBs in more detail.
Animation explaining the workings of LOFAR
We have created an animation, which briefly explains the workings of our LOFAR radio telescope.
NAC 2023 to be held in Leeuwarden in May
The 78th edition of the Nederlandse Astronomen Conferentie (NAC) will be held this year in the Westcord WTC hotel in Leeuwarden from 15 to 17 May.
ASTRON astronomy groups focus on LOFAR and SKA
Recently, the astronomy group within the A&O department of ASTRON went through a reformation: instead of several focus groups, it now consists of two groups: the LOFAR Science Group and the SKA Science Group. The LOFAR Science Group is led by André Offringa, the SKA Science Group by Joe Callingham.
Major upgrade of International LOFAR Telescope approved
The ILT Board has approved the order for the LOFAR2.0 upgrade of all 52 stations plus 2 additional stations of the International LOFAR Telescope (ILT), plus spare parts. A total of € 10 million investment goes to orders at the Dutch companies Neways, Major Electronics, Variass, and Batenburg Industriële Elektronica.
Michiel Brentjens wins Teacher of the Year 2022 award
Michiel Brentjens has won the award for Teacher of the Year 2022 at Leiden University.
Jessica Dempsey nominated for Drenthe Woman in the Media Award
ASTRON-director Jessica Dempsey has been nominated for the Woman in the Media Award for Drenthe.
People of ASTRON: Klaas Kliffen
Klaas Kliffen is a software engineer without a background in radio astronomy.
ASTRON involved in European consortium to develop next-gen technologies for radio astronomy infrastructures
The RADIOBLOCKS project has been granted 10 M€ by the European Commission to develop “common building blocks” for technological solutions beyond state-of-the-art, that will enable a broad range of new science and enhance European scientific competitiveness.