[FPSPACE] FW: Netherlands: ASTRON observes with Focal Plane Array

[LARRY KLAES]

>From: Lynn Cominsky <lynnc at universe.sonoma.edu>
>To: lynnc at universe.sonoma.edu
>Subject: Netherlands: ASTRON observes with Focal Plane Array
>Date: Thu, 27 Mar 2008 09:20:15 -0700
>
>THE FOLLOWING RELEASE WAS RECEIVED FROM THE NETHERLANDS FOUNDATION FOR
>RESEARCH IN ASTRONOMY, IN DWINGELOO, AND IS FORWARDED FOR YOUR
>INFORMATION. (FORWARDING DOES NOT IMPLY ENDORSEMENT BY THE AMERICAN
>ASTRONOMICAL SOCIETY.)  Lynn Cominsky, American Astronomical Society
>lynnc at universe.sonoma.edu    1-707-664-2655
>
>PIO Source:
>Femke Boekhorst
>PR and Communication
>Oude Hoogeveensedijk 4
>7991 PD
>Dwingeloo
>Phone: +31 (0)521-595 100
>E-mail: boekhorst at astron.nl
>
>ASTRON performs first successful astronomical observations with a Focal
>Plane Array
>
>ASTRON has performed the first successful astronomical observations
>with a so-called Focal Plane Array (FPA), installed on one of the
>fourteen dishes of the Westerbork telescope. Focal Plane Arrays are
>clusters of connected receivers and are the essence of the future
>APERTIF system ("APERture Tile In Focus"). This transformational FPA
>technology has been pioneered and brought to maturity by ASTRON,
>enabling a huge leap forwards for astronomy and the development of
>radio-sensor systems. The FPA system allows for a single telescope
>to observe in multiple directions at the same time, forming a continuous
>extended field of view which has not been possible before. Now, for the 
>first
>time anywhere in the world, meaningful astronomical images have been
>made with this type of receiver at such a high frequency.
>
>ASTRON is developing the APERTIF receiver system to enable extremely
>sensitive measurements of the whole sky with an unparalleled accuracy.
>The traditional horn antenna, located in the focus of each Westerbork
>telescope, will be replaced by a cluster of connected antennas, the
>Focal Plane Arrays, thus creating a radio 'camera' in every
>telescope. This will enlarge the instantaneous field of view of the
>telescope by at least ten times during one single observation.
>Astronomers can now collect much more information in a shorter period of
>time and from a larger area of the sky.
>
>While enhancing the scientific productivity of existing facilities like
>the Westerbork telescope, the APERTIF system forms an important step
>towards a broad application of this innovative and promising FPA
>technology. The development of such a receiver system will play an
>important role in the international Square Kilometer Array (SKA)
>project, aimed at developing the world’s largest radio telescope, a
>hundred times more sensitive than existing instruments. APERTIF is made
>possible by a grant from the Investments NWO-Groot program.
>
>--------------------------------------------
>
>For more information you can contact:
>
>APERTIF project:
>Wim van Cappellen, APERTIF project manager, Oude Hoogeveensedijk 4,
>7991 PD Dwingeloo - Phone: +31 (0)521 595 100. E-mail:
>cappellen at astron.nl
>
>Marc Verheijen, APERTIF principal investigator, Kapteyn Instituut,
>Landleven 12 (Zernike building), 9747 AD Groningen; Tel: +31
>(0)50-3634073, E-mail: M.A.W.Verheijen at astro.rug.nl
>
>Tom Oosterloo, APERTIF principal investigator, Oude Hoogeveensedijk 4,
>7991 PD Dwingeloo - Phone: +31 (0)521 595 100. E-mail:
>oosterloo at astron.nl
>
>ASTRON:
>Prof. Mike Garrett, ASTRON General Director, Oude Hoogeveensedijk 4,
>7991 PD Dwingeloo; Phone: +31 (0)521-595 100; E-mail: garrett at astron.nl
>
>
>Note to the editor:
>The image belonging to the press release can be dowloaded from the
>website:  http://www.astron.nl/press/270308.htm
>
>Caption image: The picture shows one of the first images made with the
>prototype of the new APERTIF system.  The image on the left shows the
>neutral hydrogen of the Andromeda nebula, also known as M31, the twin
>brother of our own Milky Way. M31 extends several degrees on the sky,
>which means that it appears almost ten times bigger than the full moon.
>This is much larger than the field of view of the current Westerbork
>telescope (the white circle on the picture). With the Focal Plane Arrays
>of APERTIF, simultaneously aimed in different directions at the sky, the
>largest part of M31 can be observed with one single observation of the
>telescope. The image on the left is the result of an observation that
>lasted only 6.7 seconds. Because the APERTIF prototype is only installed
>in one of the Westerbork dishes, the images are not yet very sharp.
>However, once most of the fourteen Westerbork dishes are equipped with
>Focal Plane Arrays, very sharp images can be obtained.
>
>The image on the right also shows the distribution of atomic hydrogen
>in M31, on the same scale as on the left. This image has been made a few
>years ago with the Westerbork telescope, but without the Focal Plane
>Arrays. To make this image, 163 separate observations were necessary
>with all fourteen Westerbork dishes, a process that took many weeks. If
>every Westerbork dish had a system like APERTIF, the image on the right
>could be made in a few days with only a few observations.
>
>
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