EU-HOUMW training session Limassol, Cyprus December 6-7, 2011 Cezar LEŞANU Research Assistant Astronomical Observatory-Planetarium Compartment University Ştefan cel Mare of Suceava, Romania EU-HOUMW Internet Educational Solar Radio Telescope This project has been funded with support from the European Commission. This publication reflects the views only of the author, and the Commission cannot be held responsible for any use which may be made of the information contained therein.

Atmospheric opacity

Advantages of the radio astronomy Radio observations are possible: during the day on full Moon on bad weather (cloudy sky) inside and behind dust and gas clouds

1890 Thomas Alva Edison www Source:

1897 Sir Oliver J. Lodge Source:

Wilsing şi Scheiner (1896) Source:

Charles Nordman (1900) Source:

What is a radio telescope?

Small total power radio telescope using on the shelf Satelite TV Ku-band equipment Offset TV satellite dish Power Supply 14-18V DC Analog satellite finder (modified) LNB Computer + data logging software Data acquisition board

Detect microwaves emitted by the Sun and approximate the temperature at ~11GHz (chromosphere) source:

Goal of the EU-HOU Internet Solar Radio Telescope Bring to the classroom via Internet the Solar radio astronomy (1-2 hours theoretical background, data acquisition, exercises) Easy access (user, password), automatic disconnection (10-30 min) Multiple user access in real time to the acquired data Easy hardware setup for host institutions - no PC server needed, no space/office needed, short cables (mains power, Internet LAN or WLAN) Robust enough for long term, intensive use in various weather conditions

Embedded server controller Block diagram User interface Az-El antenna rotator YAESU G5500 TVSat dish + Ku band LNB Embedded server Digital comands Analog position feedback RF signal ~1GHz External IP camera Internet

Exercises examples Where is the Sun? – Calculate the Sun AZ/EL for a given location, date and time (OR use a calculator e.g. Find Antenna Half Power Beam Width (parameter needed for the next exercise, Sun transit - 30 min data acquisition OR use the HPBW given in the antenna data sheet). Measuring the Sun temperature at 11GHz (10min data acquisition, measure the ground and sky temperatures and calculate the Suns temperature).

The Internet Solar Radio Observatory Imai Laboratory, Kochi National College of Technology, Japan source:

The Internet Solar Radio Observatory Imai Laboratory, Kochi National College of Technology, Japan source:

Source unknown

Thank you!