Effelsberg 100-metre Radio Telescope

The Effelsberg 100-metre Radio Telescope is a fully steerable radio telescope near Bad Münstereifel, Germany. Its 100-metre dish observes radio emission from objects across the universe.

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Radio telescope: An instrument that detects radio waves emitted or reflected by astronomical objects. Effelsberg is a large, steerable example of this instrument class.
Pulsar: A rotating neutron star whose beams of electromagnetic radiation appear as periodic pulses to observers. Effelsberg’s sensitive observations have helped measure pulsar signals and their timing.
Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy: A research institute in Bonn, Germany, devoted to radio astronomy and operating major radio observatories. The institute built and operates the Effelsberg telescope.
Radio galaxy: A galaxy that emits unusually strong radio waves, often from lobes powered by jets from its central black hole. Effelsberg studies radio galaxies across a wide range of distances and environments.
Radio astronomy: The study of astronomical objects and phenomena through their radio-wave emissions. This is the field in which Effelsberg gathers observations.
H I region: An interstellar cloud of neutral atomic hydrogen, detectable through its 21-centimetre radio emission. The telescope maps hydrogen in the Milky Way and nearby galaxies.
Radio telescope construction: The engineering and assembly of instruments designed to collect and measure astronomical radio waves. Effelsberg’s 100-metre reflector required specialized structural and mechanical engineering.
Galactic magnetic field: The large-scale magnetic field that permeates a galaxy, including the Milky Way. Its polarization surveys helped map magnetic structures in the Milky Way and other galaxies.
Parabolic reflector: A curved reflecting surface that concentrates incoming waves toward a focal point. Effelsberg’s dish focuses radio waves onto receiving equipment.
Faraday rotation: The rotation of a polarized wave’s orientation as it travels through a magnetized plasma. Polarization measurements with Effelsberg reveal magnetic fields along radio-signal paths.