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The Observatorio Astronómico Nacional (OAN) of Spain (Instituto Geográfico Nacional - Ministerio de Fomento) is building a new 40 meter parabolic radiotelescope in its premises at Centro Astronómico de Yebes (CAY), near Guadalajara, Spain. The instrument, whose construction is progressing well, is expected to be available for observations in 2004. The new radiotelescope will be equiped with state-of-the-art receivers in the 2 to 115 GHz range (including the geodetic S/X bands), and will join the astronomical and geodetic VLBI networks (EVN and IVS) from the start of its operations.

The National Astronomical Observatory of Spain (OAN) has started the construction of a new 40 meter radiotelescope in the town of Yebes (Guadalajara, Spain), next to the radome-enclosed 14 meter radiotelescope built by ESSCO in 1976. The new instrument will be the most important large scale facility for Radio Astronomy run by the Spanish administration, and become an important partner in the VLBI networks at centimeter and millimeter wavelengths.

The 40 meter radiotelescope will operate in the 13 cm (2.3 Ghz) to 2.6 mm (115 Ghz) range, both as a single antenna and as one element in a VLBI array for astronomical and geodetic studies. The antenna will consist of a homologous parabolic reflector, and a subreflector on a quadrupode, in Nasmyth focus configuration. This system is installed on a concrete pedestal which serves also as control building and workshop (Figure 1). The large receiver cabin will move in azimuth together with the telescope. All receivers will be located in the secondary focus cabin (so that several of them can be used simultaneously), where multibeam receivers at the highest frequencies may also be installed.

**Figure 1:** Pedestal of the new 40 meter radiotelescope of OAN at Yebes.
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The telescope construction started in July 1999. The concrete pedestal was built in 2000, and the telescope structure is expected by 2003. Commissioning and observations could start then with the S/X, K, and Q band receivers.

More information on the construction of the new telescope can be found on the WEB page of the observatory at the URL: http://www.oan.es/cay/40m/.

The New 40 Meter Radiotelescope of OAN at Yebes

Abstract:

Proceedings of the 15th Working Meeting on European VLBI


Proceedings of the 15th Working Meeting on European VLBI