Nançay

The Nançay radio observatory is developping and operating among the biggest radioastronomy instruments in the world, observing the universe at wavelengths between 3 cm and 10 m. The station houses 2 instrumental demonstrators: the EMBRACE array, first SKA (Square Kilometer Array) prototype for the middle frequency band (0.5 to 1.5 GHz), and the CODALEMA array. In parallel, innovative processing methods are developped for interferences monitoring and mitigation.

geographic longitude: 02° 11′ 50″
geographic latitude: 47° 22′ 24″
altitude above sea level: 150 m
diameter telescope 1 (Decametric array): 144 elements on 2×3500 m2 (equivalent to a single dish with diameter of 67 m)
diameter telescope 2 (Radio heliograph): array of 19 elements (EW) and 24 elements (NS) over 3200×1250 meter baselines
diameter telescope 3 (Decimetric radio telescope): ‘Kraus type’ antenna: flat mirror: 200×40 meter; spherical mirror: 300×35 meter
diameter telescope 4 (ORFEES) 5 m, dedicated to space meteorology
 minimum elevation: 3.6°

Available observing mode: single dish, array mode.

Frequencies, as registered and used currently:

Frequency band Observing mode
10 – 100 MHz decametric array
150 – 450 MHz radio heliograph
130 – 1000 MHz  single dish (ORFEES)
1100 – 1800 MHz single dish, decimetric radio telescope
1700 – 3500 MHz single dish, decimetric radio telescope
4800 – 5000 MHz
10.68 – 10.7 GHz

Research programs: extra-galactic radio astronomy (large scale structure, physics of galaxies), galactic research (pulsar timing, circumstellar envelopes), cometary research, solar and planetary radio astronomy (Sun, planets).

 

Committee on Radio Astronomy Frequencies