EU-HOUMW Internet Educational Solar Radio Telescope
This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This
publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held
responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.
EU-HOUMW training session Limassol, Cyprus
December 6-7, 2011
Cezar LEŞANU
Research Assistant
Astronomical Observatory-Planetarium Compartment
University “Ştefan cel Mare” of Suceava, Romania
www.usv.ro
Atmospheric opacity
www.wikipedia.com
Advantages of the radio astronomy
Radio observations are possible:
• during the day
• on full Moon
• on bad weather (cloudy sky)
• inside and behind dust and gas clouds
1890 Thomas Alva Edison
Source: www.nrao.edu
www
1897
Sir Oliver J. Lodge
Source: www.nrao.edu
Wilsing şi Scheiner (1896)
Source: www.nrao.edu
Charles Nordman (1900)
Source: www.nrao.edu
What is a radio telescope?
http://radiosky.com/simple.html
Small total power radio telescope
using on the shelf Satelite TV Ku-band equipment
Offset TV satellite dish
Data acquisition
board
Computer + data
logging software
LNB
Power Supply
Analog satellite finder
(modified)
14-18V DC
Detect microwaves emitted by the Sun and approximate
the temperature at ~11GHz (chromosphere)
source: http://sun.kochi-ct.jp/e/observatory.html
Goal of the EU-HOU Internet Solar Radio Telescope
• Bring to the classroom via Internet the Solar radio astronomy (1-2
hours theoretical background, data acquisition, exercises)
• Easy access (user, password), automatic disconnection (10-30 min)
• Multiple user access in real time to the acquired data
• Easy hardware setup for host institutions - no PC server needed, no
space/office needed, short cables (mains power, Internet LAN or
WLAN)
• Robust enough for long term, intensive use in various weather
conditions
Embedded server controller
Block diagram
TVSat dish +
Ku band LNB
Az-El antenna rotator
YAESU G5500
External IP camera
RF signal
~1GHz
Digital
comands
Analog
position
feedback
Internet
Embedded
server
User interface
Exercises examples
• Where is the Sun? – Calculate the Sun
AZ/EL for a given location, date and time
(OR use a calculator e.g. http://www.jgiesen.de/SunView/index.htm) .
• Find Antenna Half Power Beam Width
(parameter needed for the next exercise, Sun transit - 30 min data acquisition
OR use the HPBW given in the antenna data sheet).
• Measuring the Sun temperature at 11GHz
(10min data acquisition, measure the ground and sky temperatures and
calculate the Sun’s temperature).
The Internet Solar Radio Observatory
Imai Laboratory, Kochi National College of Technology, Japan
source: http://sun.kochi-ct.jp/e/observatory.html
The Internet Solar Radio Observatory
Imai Laboratory, Kochi National College of Technology, Japan
source: http://sun.kochi-ct.jp/e/observatory.html
Source unknown
Thank you!