• Experiments: solar radio emission with SPIDER radio telescope

    The Sun is one of the most interesting radio sources in the sky and solar radio emission can be studied by using SPIDER radio telescopes. The Sun not only emits visible light but also other frequencies in the electromagnetic spectrum, in fact you can feel the Sun heat on our skin, expression of infrared radiation. In this article with step-by-step guide, by using a 3 meter diameter SPIDER 300A radio telescope, we see how to detect radio waves coming from the Sun and generate various results (like radio images and transits) by using the RadioUniversePRO control software. We perform automatic pointing and tracking on the Sun, detection and removal of eventual artificial signal and capture of results.

  • Upgraded SPIDER 300A radio telescope in Medicina radio telescopes Visitor Center

    PrimaLuceLab Installation Team just upgraded the SPIDER 300A radio telescope installed in Medicina radio telescopes Visitor Center! Originally installed in 2018, the SPIDER 300A now has a new antenna, a larger and more precise mount (new design with electronics and cables integrated in the mount head) and new receiver and…

  • SPIDER 300A installed in University of Lincoln (UK)

    PrimaLuceLab Team completed the installation of a new SPIDER 300A, the 3 meter diameter compact radio telescope for 1420 MHz radio astronomy, in University of Lincoln (UK)!

  • Introduction to radio interferometry

    Radio interferometry is an advanced technique, developed by professional radio astronomers, that allows to use many smaller antennas instead of a too large one. In fact, when we think of a radio telescope, we imagine an instrument of enormous dimensions, equipped with a very large parabolic antenna that collects radio waves coming from space. By using many compact radio telescopes, radio interferometry improves results in radio astronomy research and allows the use of more affordable radio telescopes. For example, by using this technique the Event Horizon Telescope (an international collaboration of multiple radio telescopes from all over the world) recorded, in April 2019, the first radio map of a black hole inside the M87 galaxy, with an incredible resolution of 25 microarcseconds!

  • SPIDER 500A installed in Porto da Balsa radio astronomy station

    PrimaLuceLab team completed the installation of the 5 meter radio telescope that will be used by Telecommunication Institute of Aveiro (Portugal). SPIDER 500A will be remotely controlled thanks to RadioUniversePRO software.

  • PrimaLuceLab’s interviews: advantages of using EAGLE in astrophotography

    EAGLE is the control and power unit for telescopes and astrophotography that changed the game in the way astrophotographers record pictures of the Universe. By including a full Windows 10 Enterprise computer with 8 USB ports, 7 power out ports also for dew heaters and remote control capabilities (both with WiFi…

  • Lunar eclipse from the Dolomites with Borg 90FL f3.9 and ESATTO 3”

    Partial lunar eclipse of July 16th in Italy gave us a great opportunity to test the new Borg 90FL f3.9 fluorite apochromatic refractor with ESATTO 3” microfocuser and, thanks to its extreme portability, we moved to Dolomites, one of the most beautiful part in the italian Alps and Unesco World Heritage!…