Pushchino Radio Astronomy Observatory

South of Moscow in Pushchino, Russia, a wide field of radio antennas has listened to the sky since the height of the Soviet space era, forming one of the country's oldest dedicated radio astronomy sites.

About Pushchino Radio Astronomy Observatory

Pushchino Radio Astronomy Observatory is a Russian, formerly Soviet, radio astronomy facility developed by the Lebedev Physical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences. The observatory occupies some 70,000 square metres of ground given over to its antenna arrays.

History

The observatory was founded on 11 April 1956 and was built up by the Lebedev Physical Institute over a span of twenty years, growing from an initial site into the extensive radio astronomy campus it is today.

Location & getting there

Pushchino Radio Astronomy Observatory lies in the town of Pushchino, south of Moscow, Russia, a location chosen for its relative quiet from the radio interference that affects sites closer to the capital.

Visiting Pushchino Radio Astronomy Observatory

For current opening arrangements and any tour options, check the observatory's official website or contact the Lebedev Physical Institute directly before planning a trip, as access to a working radio astronomy campus can vary.

See your named star from here

Radio telescopes work differently from the optical instruments most people picture, but the underlying idea is the same: precise coordinates point an instrument at a precise patch of sky. A named star's right ascension and declination from your Star Register certificate are the kind of numbers observatories like this one work with daily. Browse our naming packages or look up a star in the catalogue.