Manastash Ridge Radar

Sharing its building with Manastash Ridge Observatory in the eastern Cascade foothills of Washington State, the Manastash Ridge Radar listens to the sky rather than looking at it.

About Manastash Ridge Radar

The Manastash Ridge Radar (MRR) is a passive, bistatic radar system that uses commercial FM radio broadcasts from Seattle to detect ionospheric turbulence, meteor trails and aircraft. It takes its name from its location at Manastash Ridge Observatory.

Telescopes & research

Rather than a telescope, MRR relies on synchronized receivers at the University of Washington and at Manastash Ridge, run by the university's Radar Remote Sensing Laboratory under Dr. John Sahr, allowing coherent detection of radio echoes bounced off the upper atmosphere and passing objects.

Location & getting there

The radar sits within the Manastash Ridge Observatory building, roughly 14 km west of Ellensburg, Washington, in the eastern foothills of the Cascade Mountains.

Visiting Manastash Ridge Radar

As a University of Washington research instrument on remote back roads, MRR is not a general public attraction; those interested should contact the university directly.

See your named star from here

Manastash Ridge Radar studies radio signals rather than starlight, but it sits beneath the same dark Cascade sky as its neighbouring optical telescope. If you've named a star with Star Register, you can explore its coordinates and story in our star catalogue.