Nobeyama radio observatory

Nobeyama Radio Observatory listens to the universe in radio wavelengths from near Minamimaki in Nagano, Japan, using some of the most capable radio astronomy hardware in the country.

About Nobeyama Radio Observatory

Run as a division of the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan, NRO sits at 1,350 metres elevation and consists of four distinct radio instruments working together.

History

The observatory was founded in 1969 and has operated continuously since, building one of Japan's most comprehensive radio astronomy facilities.

Telescopes & research

Its flagship 45-metre single-dish radio telescope observes at short-millimetre wavelengths, with receivers spanning 1 to 80 GHz in both polarizations. The Nobeyama Millimetre Array adds six 10-metre dishes working as an interferometer, while the Nobeyama Radioheliograph, an array of eighty-four 80-centimetre antennas, and a set of Radio Polarimeters keep a continuous watch on the Sun.

Location & getting there

The observatory sits near Minamimaki in Nagano Prefecture, Japan, at an elevation of 1,350 metres.

Visiting Nobeyama Radio Observatory

Check the observatory's official website for current visiting information, as access to a working radio astronomy site can be more restricted than at an optical observatory.

See your named star from here

Nobeyama's dishes are tuned to radio wavelengths rather than visible starlight, but the same sky they study holds every star Star Register has named. Look up your star's coordinates in our catalogue, or see our packages to name one.