Noto Radio Observatory

The Noto Radio Observatory stands near the town of Noto in Sicily, southern Italy, home to a large radio dish used for research that links Europe's radio telescopes together.

About Noto Radio Observatory

Located at Contrada Renna Bassa, the observatory is operated by the Istituto di Radioastronomia (Institute of Radioastronomy), part of Italy's national astrophysics institute, INAF.

History

The facility was completed in 1988 and joined the European VLBI Network (EVN) the following year, in 1989.

Telescopes & research

Its main instrument is a 32-metre diameter paraboloid antenna fitted with an active surface and receivers covering 1 to 86 GHz. The antenna works together with other radio telescopes across Europe and the world for Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI), and the station also provides time and frequency services along with meteorological monitoring.

Location & getting there

The observatory sits outside Noto, on the island of Sicily, in southern Italy, part of the Europe region.

Visiting Noto Radio Observatory

The Noto Radio Observatory is currently open for guided visits; check the official website for current tour times and booking details before travelling.

See your named star from here

While its 32-metre dish is built for radio astronomy rather than visual stargazing, Noto's staff work daily with precise sky coordinates, the same coordinates you receive when you name a star with Star Register. Browse the star catalogue to see where your star sits in the sky.