SPIDER 500A MarkII radio telescope at the Department of Physics “E. Fermi” of the University of Pisa (Italy)
PrimaLuceLab Installation Team successfully completed the installation of a SPIDER 500A MarkII radio telescope at the Department of Physics “E. Fermi” of the University of Pisa (Italy). This advanced instrument will be used for radio astronomy education and research, allowing students and researchers to observe the Universe in radio waves and study celestial sources at 1420 MHz frequency. This is especially important for educational use, since radio astronomy observations at frequency (corresponding to the natural emission of neutral hydrogen line) can be performed even during daytime and in bad weather conditions, thanks to the SPIDER 500A MarkII antenna’s weatherproof design.
The installation started with the positioning of the C400-HEAVY reinforced pier, which provides the necessary stability to support the 5-meter diameter antenna. The pier is carefully aligned and bolted to the concrete base to ensure long-term precision during tracking operations.
Once the pier was in place, the Installation Team assembled the WP-400II weatherproof alt-az antenna tracking system, designed for smooth and precise movement of the large parabolic antenna. This mount is fully motorized and controlled by our RadioUniversePRO software, allowing accurate tracking of radio sources across the sky.
The next step was the assembly and installation of the WEB500-5 5-meter diameter prime focus antenna. The large aluminum structure was mounted with the help of a crane, ensuring safety and precision throughout the process. The antenna surface is optimized for 1420 MHz frequency observations and guarantees excellent performance for educational purposes.
Finally, the H142-PRO 1420 MHz radio astronomy receiver and backend instruments were installed, together with Radio-over-Fiber kit, to improve system performance and minimize sensitivity to radio frequency interferences, this completing the installation of SPIDER 500A MarkII system. The University of Pisa now has a state-of-the-art turn-key radio telescope, ready to be used for training students in radio astronomy techniques and for scientific projects.
