Thursday, June 21, 2012

Learn about LOFAR at the Winchester Science Festival

The inaugural Winchester Science Festival is taking place over the weekend of 20th-22nd July 2012. This event will be celebrating the best of Hampshire and World Science and feautures some of the best science communicators in the UK.



The Sunday programme includes a lecture at 2pm on "Exploring the low-frequency Universe with LOFAR", given by Dr Anna Sciafe from Southampton University.



Talk topic: The LOFAR radio telescope is currently the largest radio telescope network in the world. And the westernmost station of this vast array is located in Hampshire, a mere 10 miles from Winchester. Please join Dr Scaife for a fascinating journey into deepest space and deepest Hampshire as she discusses the truly amazing facilities we have on our very doorstep. 


 Tickets for the event are on sale at the Winchester Discovery Centre, costing £3. 

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

LOFAR is one of Southampton University's 60 at 60 Achievements

The University of Southampton celebrates it's 60th birthday this year. As part of the celebrations for this, they have made a list of 60 world changing achievements, and LOFAR is number 21 on that list.


Celebrations for this event will include installations around the Southampton campus to celebrate the achievements (for details see here). LOFAR will be celebrated by the installation of an antenna outside the physics building. This antenna will have a QR code which people can use to learn more about the project. 


The University of Southampton will also hold a public open day on June 30th to celebrate. Tickets are not required for the public open day, but if you sign up in advance you can be entered into a competition to win an iPad. The Soton Astrodome will take part, running a specially designed 45 minute planetarium show about LOFAR every hour from 11am-4pm. This show is free to members of the public, but will have limited spaces. Sign up sheets will be available on the campus from 11am. 

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Radio Transients Meeting in Oxford this Week

A joint meeting of the ThunderKAT (the MeerKAT Transients Key Science Project), the LOFAR Transients Key Science Project, and TRAPUM (Transients and Pulsars with MeerKAT) is happening this week in Oxford, UK.


For more information see the meeting website.

New Map of the International LOFAR Telescope

Here is a great new map of the International LOFAR Telescope which has been made by ASTRON. It's available with or without the international stations labelled. (Click on the caption for the highest resolution versions hosted at ASTRON's page of LOFAR pictures).

The International LOFAR Telescope. Credit: ASTRON

The International LOFAR Telescope: Credit ASTRON