Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory

Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory is a radio astronomy research facility near Okanagan Falls, British Columbia, Canada, operating since 1960.

About Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory

Founded in 1960 and located at Kaleden, British Columbia, at an elevation of 546 metres, the observatory is operated by the Herzberg Institute of Astrophysics, part of Canada's National Research Council.

Telescopes & research

The site houses four radio telescopes: an interferometric radio telescope, a 26-metre single-dish antenna, a solar flux monitor, and the Canadian Hydrogen Intensity Mapping Experiment (CHIME), alongside supporting engineering laboratories. The observatory has been recognised as an IEEE Milestone for carrying out some of the first radio astronomical observations using Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI), a technique that links widely separated radio telescopes to achieve extremely fine resolution.

Location & getting there

The observatory sits in a valley near Okanagan Falls in British Columbia's interior, an area chosen for its relative radio quietness — a key requirement for sensitive radio astronomy that has nothing to do with cloud cover or light pollution, unlike optical observatories.

Visiting Dominion Radio Astrophysical Observatory

As an active federal research facility, visiting arrangements and any public tours are best confirmed through the National Research Council's official channels before planning a trip.

See your named star from here

DRAO listens to the sky rather than looks at it, but the same coordinates that guide a radio telescope also guide an optical one. A star named through Star Register comes with exact coordinates ready for either. Browse the star catalogue to find yours.