The Mount Pleasant Radio Observatory is a

radio astronomy Radio astronomy is a subfield of astronomy that studies celestial objects at radio frequencies. The first detection of radio waves from an astronomical object was in 1933, when Karl Jansky at Bell Telephone Laboratories reported radiation comi ...

based

observatory An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial, marine, or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geophysical, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed. H ...

owned and operated by

University of Tasmania The University of Tasmania (UTAS) is a public research university, primarily located in Tasmania, Australia. Founded in 1890, it is Australia's fourth oldest university. Christ College (University of Tasmania), Christ College, one of the unive ...

, located 20 km east of Hobart in

Cambridge, Tasmania Cambridge is a suburb in the greater area of Hobart, capital of Tasmania, Australia. It is in the City of Clarence local government area. The suburb is situated in close proximity with Hobart International Airport and the Cambridge Aerodro ...

. It is home to three radio astronomy antennas and the Grote Reber Museum.

Equipment

The observatory has two active radio telescopes: the Mount Pleasant 26 m antenna and a 12 m AuScope VLBI Antenna. The Observatory is linked to the

's Hobart campus with a 25 km

fibre optic An optical fiber, or optical fibre in Commonwealth English, is a flexible, transparent fiber made by drawing glass (silica) or plastic to a diameter slightly thicker than that of a human hair. Optical fibers are used most often as a means ...

cable, installed in 2007. The 14 m Vela telescope that was constructed in 1981 as a dedicated instrument for observation of the

Vela Pulsar The Vela Pulsar (PSR J0835-4510 or PSR B0833-45) is a radio, optical, X-ray- and gamma-emitting pulsar associated with the Vela Supernova Remnant in the constellation of Vela. Its parent Type II supernova exploded approximately 11,00 ...

has been decommissioned since 2006 and is in the process of being refurbished. The telescope used to track the pulsar 18 hours a day, nearly continuously for over 20 years. The 26 m Radio dish came from the

Orroral Valley Tracking Station The Orroral Valley tracking station, was Earth station in Australia, supported Earth-orbiting satellites, as part of NASA's Spacecraft Tracking and Data Acquisition Network (STADAN). It was located approximately 50 km south of Canberra, ...

, ACT, where it was used as a satellite tracker within the

Spacecraft Tracking and Data Acquisition Network The Spacecraft Tracking and Data (Acquisition) Network (STADAN or STDN) was established by NASA in the early 1960s to satisfy the requirement for long-duration, highly available space-to-ground communications. The network was the “follow-on” ...

and then for support to

NASA The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA ) is an independent agency of the US federal government responsible for the civil space program, aeronautics research, and space research. NASA was established in 1958, succeedi ...

crewed missions. The 26 m telescope is used in Australia's

very long baseline interferometry Very-long-baseline interferometry (VLBI) is a type of astronomical interferometry used in radio astronomy. In VLBI a signal from an astronomical radio source, such as a quasar, is collected at multiple radio telescopes on Earth or in space. T ...

(VLBI) network.

Other Telescopes

The

also operates three other radio astronomy antennas: the 30 m Ceduna Radio Observatory (SA) and two additional AuScope 12 m antennas at Katherine (NT) and Yaragadee (WA). The University also owns and operates the Bisdee Tier Optical Astronomy Observatory. The Canopus Hill Observatory is closed.

Grote Reber Museum

There is also a museum on site dedicated to the life and works of

Grote Reber Grote Reber (December 22, 1911 – December 20, 2002) was an American pioneer of radio astronomy, which combined his interests in amateur radio and amateur astronomy. He was instrumental in investigating and extending Karl Jansky's pioneering w ...

. It contains some of his ashes and a state of the art 3D theatre. It also discusses the major role

Tasmania ) , nickname = , image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdi ...

plays in

radiophysics Radiophysics (also modern writing "radio physics") is a branch of physics focused on the theoretical and experimental study of certain kinds of radiation, its emission, propagation and interaction with matter. The term is used in the following majo ...

The museum hosts about 5000 visitors annually and runs several Open Days each year.

students also act as tour guides as part of their studies.

References

External links

University of Tasmania website on observatoryGrote Reber Museum
{{Portal bar, Australia, Astronomy, Stars, Spaceflight, Outer space, Solar System, Education, Science Astronomical observatories in Tasmania University of Tasmania Museums in Tasmania Science museums in Australia Biographical museums in Australia Radio observatories

Equipment

Other Telescopes

Grote Reber Museum

See also

References

External links