The Noto VLBI Station is a

radio Radio is the technology of signaling and communicating using radio waves. Radio waves are electromagnetic waves of frequency between 30 hertz (Hz) and 300 gigahertz (GHz). They are generated by an electronic device called a transmit ...

observatory located on

Sicily (man) it, Siciliana (woman) , population_note = , population_blank1_title = , population_blank1 = , demographics_type1 = Ethnicity , demographics1_footnotes = , demographi ...

, southern

Italy Italy ( it, Italia ), officially the Italian Republic, ) or the Republic of Italy, is a country in Southern Europe. It is located in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea, and its territory largely coincides with the homonymous geographical re ...

, outside the city of Noto. The facility is operated by the

Istituto di Radioastronomia di Bologna The Istituto di Radioastronomia di Bologna (Institute for Radio Astronomy of Bologna) is one of research facilities of the Italian Istituto Nazionale di Astrofisica (National Institute for Astrophysics). Staff conduct research in astronomy, physics ...

. The

antenna Antenna ( antennas or antennae) may refer to: Science and engineering * Antenna (radio), also known as an aerial, a transducer designed to transmit or receive electromagnetic (e.g., TV or radio) waves * Antennae Galaxies, the name of two collid ...

is a 32-metre

diameter In geometry, a diameter of a circle is any straight line segment that passes through the center of the circle and whose endpoints lie on the circle. It can also be defined as the longest chord of the circle. Both definitions are also valid for ...

paraboloid fitted with an

active surface An active surface is a surface of a radio telescope that is under active computer control of its shape. Large (more than 10 m in diameter or length) radio telescopes always bend during operation, due to their enormous weight and the fact tha ...

and receivers for

astronomy Astronomy () is a natural science that studies astronomical object, celestial objects and phenomena. It uses mathematics, physics, and chemistry in order to explain their origin and chronology of the Universe, evolution. Objects of interest ...

observations from 1 to 86 GHz. The Noto antenna is used in conjunction with other antennas throughout

Europe Europe is a large peninsula conventionally considered a continent in its own right because of its great physical size and the weight of its history and traditions. Europe is also considered a Continent#Subcontinents, subcontinent of Eurasia ...

and the world for VLBI.

References

Radio telescopes Astronomical observatories in Italy Buildings and structures in Noto {{observatory-stub

See also

References