Principal Investigator Philip Erickson
Project Website http://www.haystack.mit.edu/edu/undergrad/srt/index.html
Haystack Observatory has developed a small radio telescope (SRT) capable of continuum and spectral line observations in the L-band (1.42 GHz). This inexpensive radio astronomy kit provides everything needed to introduce students and amateur astronomers to the field of radio astronomy. A radio telescope is an excellent teaching tool as it involves the combined technologies of microwave engineering and digital computing. Its use involves astronomy, digital signal processing, software development, and analysis.
The SRT is a standard 2.3 meter diameter satellite television dish mounted on top of a fully motorized Az-El mount. This unique mounting arrangement allows the observer to perform total power measurements and contour mapping. Software has been provided for controlling the antenna and selection of sources. Data reduction can be performed using existing radio astronomy software packages or left as an exercise for the student.
The SRT is available as a kit from CASSI Corporation. We recommend that the SRT be purchased with a 1420 MHz cavity filter as many locations are close to strong transmitters. We also recommend that an SRT close to other radio astronomy facilities be upgraded with the measures listed in SRT memo #24. Haystack can only offer some limited support of the SRT.