Radio Telescope, Ooty

India Science & Technology

March 23, 1982

A commemorative postage stamp on Science and Technology : Ooty Radio Telescope, part of National Centre for Radio Astrophysics (NCRA) of Tata Institute of Fundamental Research (TIFR) near Ootacamund :

Issued by India

Issued on Mar 23, 1982

Type : Stamp, Postal Used

Colour : Multicolour

Denomination : 305 Paise

About :

This large Radio Telescope, which is in the form of a parabolic cylinder 530 M long x 30 M wide, operating at 327 MHz, is one of the largest telescopes in the world operating at Meter wavelengths. It is four times more sensitive than the 76 meter diameter Jodrell Bank parabolic dish. The reflecting surface of the telescope consists of 1100 thin stainless steel wires which are supported on 24 steel frames mounted on 24 equidistant steel towers.
The beam of the Telescope can be steered in the East-West direction by mechanical steering; whereas that in the North-South direction is done electronically. Radio signals are received by 1056 half wave dipoles at the focal line. Making use of an appropriate hill slope, the axis of the instrument has been kept parallel to the earth’s axis of rotation.
The concept, design, fabrication and the resources for this telescope are fully indigenous. The telescope is operated by the Tata Institute of Fundamental Research under the auspices of the Department of Atomic Energy of the Government of India.
Scientific Programmes and Significant Results :
- Lunar Occultation of Radio sources :
  - The telescope is occupied for about 10 hours a day for survey and studies of radio sources in the sky by the Lunar occultation technique. Since February 1970, about 1200 radio sources have been observed. The information, particularly of the angular size of weaker sources, has provided an independent evidence in support of the Big Bang model. The observations have also helped in understanding the physics of radio sources.