Radio Telescope
The Effelsberg radio telescope is operated by the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy in Bonn. It was constructed from 1968 to 1971 and inaugurated on 1 August 1972. A major technical difficulty in building a radio telescope of 100 m diameter was how to deal with the deformation as the – supposedly parabolic – mirror moves and tilts. The Finite element method was used to construct the mirror support in such a way that the deformed mirror will always take a parabolic shape. The focus will move during such deformation, and the receiver has to be moved accordingly. Tests after completion of the telescope showed that the intended accuracy of the mirror surface of 1 mm had not only been met, but exceeded significantly.
About 45% of the observing time is available to external astronomers. The Effelsberg 100-m telescope was involved in several surveys, including the one at 408 MHz (73 cm) by Haslam et al. For 29 years the Effelsberg Radio Telescope was the largest fully steerable radio telescope on Earth. In 2000 it was surpassed by the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope in Green Bank, West Virginia with an elliptical 100 by 110-metre aperture.
| Reflector Diameter | 100 m |
| Aperture | 7,854 m2 |
| Number of Surface Elements (Panels) | 2,352 |
| Shape Accuracy of Surface | < 0.5 mm |
| Focal Length in Prime Focus | 30 m |
| Secondary Mirror Diameter (Gregory-Reflector) | 6.5 m |
| Aperture Stop | |
| – in Prime Focus | f/0.3 |
| – in Secondary Focus | f/3.85 |
| Angular Resolution (Beam Width) | |
| – at 21 cm wavelength (1.4 GHz) | 9.4' (arc minutes) |
| – at 3 cm wavelength (10 GHz) | 1.15' (arc minutes) |
| – at 3.5 mm wavelength (86 GHz) | 10" (arc seconds) |
| Azimuth Track Diameter | 64 m |
| Setting Accuracy of Track | ±0.25 mm |
| Azimuth Range | 480° |
| Maximum Rotation Speed | 30°/min. |
| Pointing Accuracy | |
| – Blind Pointing | 10" |
| – Repeatability | 2" |
| Power Output of the 16 Azimuth Drives | 10.2 kW each |
| Radius of Elevation Gear Track | 28 m |
| Elevation Range | from 7° to 94° |
| – during observations | from 8.1° to 89° |
| Maximum Tilt Speed | 16°/min. |
| Power Output of the 4 Elevation Drives | 17.5 kW each |
| Total Weight | 3,200 t |
| Construction Period | 1968–1971 |
| Height of Track above Sea Level | 319 m |
| Commencement of Operation | 1 August 1972 |
| Constructed by | Arbeitsgemeinschaft KRUPP/MAN |
Read more about this topic: Effelsberg 100-m Radio Telescope
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