Institute of Radioastronomy · INAF 🇮🇹 Italiano Reserved area
Virtual tour · 360°

Explore the radio telescope

See the station from above, step inside the 32-metre dish and go down the antenna to the wheels that turn it. Drag to look around and tap the glowing markers to move.

Aerial view · west side
The radio telescope from above
Stop 1 of 7 · height 36.9 m
1 / 7
Aerial view · west side

The radio telescope from above

From up here you can take in the whole radio astronomy station: the 32-metre antenna, inaugurated on 28 October 1988, the station buildings and the Noto countryside all around. Tap the dish to step inside it, or go down to the base of the antenna.

Tap the arrows in the panorama to move, and the circles with an “i” to learn more. You can also jump to any stop from the diagram or the list below.

Where you are
36.9 m The radio telescope from above 28.7 m Inside the dish 18.8 m Beneath the dish 14.3 m The elevation motors 8.6 m The support structure 3.4 m Wheels and track 23.3 m The station from the east

Tour stops

  1. 1 The radio telescope from above Aerial view · west side · 36.9 m
  2. 2 Inside the dish Primary mirror · 28.7 m
  3. 3 Beneath the dish The basket · 18.8 m
  4. 4 The elevation motors Up-and-down motion · 14.3 m
  5. 5 The support structure Turns with the antenna · 8.6 m
  6. 6 Wheels and track Horizontal motion · 3.4 m
  7. 7 The station from the east Aerial view · east side · 23.3 m