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The open door days at Irbene radio telescope complex were attended by more than 500 people

nov. 06, 2019

Last week, from 28 October to 2 November, in honour of the 25h anniversary of Ventspils International Radio Astronomy Centre (VIRAC) and the opening of the new object - LOFAR-LATVIA antenna fields, open door days were held at Irbene Radio Telescope complex.                                               

During the open door days there was an opportunity to see the radio telescope complex - the 32-meter diameter parabolic antenna and its infrastructure, walk around the 700-meter long underground tunnel which connects the radio telescopes, as well as to see the RT-8 tower which houses an exposition about the historical operation of antennas RT-16 and RT-32 during the Soviet Union, and next to it a 16-meter diameter antenna dish placed on the ground and available for viewing for those interested.


More than 500 people used the opportunity to visit the Irbene Radio Telescope complex, more than half of them were pupils. Most of the visitors were from Kurzeme but there were also visitors from other regions of Latvia. 22 visitors were from Lithuania. In total, in 2019 Irbene radio telescope complex was visited by approximately 7000 people of whom 1500 were within the framework of the event "Researcher's Night" and 500 visitors within the framework of the open door day event.


It has to be noted that the excursion season is over but already in May anyone interested will be welcome in the Irbene radio telescope complex. Ventspils University of Applied Sciences and Ventspils International Radio Astronomy Centre continue to look forward to such a response because this infrastructure is unique and definitely needs to be promoted (Project No.1.1.1.5/15/A/019 “Further development of VIRAC institutional and scientific capacity").

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