Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory

Looking like oversized satellite dishes, the radio telescopes of the Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory collect the natural radio signals from space. They "see" unimpeded through matter that blocks our vision with ordinary telescopes by being able to collect the faint broadcasts of distant interstellar gases. These instruments complement other types of telescopes by offering astronomers a vital perspective on our universe. The telescopes at this south central British Columbia site are all dedicated to observing the radio part of the electromagnetic spectrum.

The Observatory operates three facilities, a 26-metre fully steerable dish, a seven-antenna synthesis array, and a pair of solar flux monitors.

The 26-m telescope and array are booked around the clock for various studies and are not impeded by daylight or clouds. The solar flux telescope is used only while the sun is above the horizon.

The telescopes operate at centimetre wavelengths. The 26-metre and array telescopes are equipped to record the intensity of radio waves at a variety of frequencies and thereby produce spectra.

The 26-m telescope is noted for its use in the first very long baseline interferometry in 1968. Using the 26-m in conjunction with a telescope in Algonquin Park near Toronto, Ontario, Canadian scientists were able to simulate the resolution of a radio telescope with a size of 3000 km. The array is currently being used for a detailed, landmark study to map the Milky Way Galaxy. The telescopes are capable of detecting clouds of hydrogen gas in the Milky Way and nearby galaxies, remnants of stars that have died, molecules floating between the stars, and more. The solar monitoring program was responsible for discovering the "slowly varying" component of solar radiation, and it has been operating for over 50 years, first in Ottawa and, since 1990, at DRAO.

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