Torun

The  Torun  Radio Astronomy department is a part of Centre for Astronomy at Nicolaus Copernicus University in Toruń. It is located in Piwnice, 13 km north of Toruń. The main instrument of the Department is a 32-metre radio telescope, with receivers covering the bands 1.4, 1.6, 5 and 6.8 GHz. The telescope is a vital element of the European VLBI Network.

The other telescope is a 15-meter design (by eng. Z. Bujakowski) and is based on an element of the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope. The telescope has been used in the VLBI enterprise. To this end the telescope is equipped with non-cooled receivers for the standard frequencies of 1420, 1660 and 5,000 MHz. It is also used for pulsar monitoring, which begun at the early 80s. Presently the antenna is used mainly as a training tool for students.

Telescope 1:

 geographic longitude:  18° 33′ 50.6″
 geographic latitude:  52° 54′ 37.8″
 altitude above sea level:  133.61 m
 diameter telescope 1:  32 m
 minimum elevation:   2°
Torun telescope 2x
The Torun telescopes: the 15m is at the left and the 32m is at the right

Telescope 2:

 geographic longitude:  18° 33′ 39.72″
 geographic latitude:  52° 54′ 37.39″
 altitude above sea level:  112.35 m
diameter telescope 2: 15 m
 minimum elevation:   6o

Available observing mode: single dish, Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI).

Frequencies used currently:

Frequency band Observing mode
1350.0 – 1660.0 MHz single dish, VLBI
4350 – 4950 MHz single dish, VLBI
4800 – 5300 MHz single dish, VLBI
6450 – 6950 MHz single dish, VLBI
20 – 25 GHz single dish
27 – 33 GHz single dish, OCRA-p
26 – 36 GHz single dish, OCRA-f

Research programs: galactic and extra-galactic radio astronomy, pulsar research, quasars, radio galaxies, interstellar masers, solar and extra-solar planetary systems.

 

Committee on Radio Astronomy Frequencies