The radio telescope Effelsberg is a radio telescope in the Eifel part Ahrgebirge. It stands near Effelsberg in the North Rhine-Westphalian district of Euskirchen. The aperture (opening width) of the 1967 to 1971 built and put into operation 1972 large radio astronomical telescope is 100 m. The radio telescope Effelsberg belongs to the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy in Bonn. It was built between 1968 and 1971 by a consortium of the MAN Gustavsburg plant and the Friedrich Krupp AG and put into operation on 1 August 1972. The technical difficulties of producing a radio telescope with a diameter of 100 m stem from the deformation of the mirror when moving and tilting, which disturbs the design structure of the parabolic mirrors. In radio astronomy, however, the geometric properties of such mirrors are of particular interest, because the waves collected in parallel to the axis are all reflected in the same phase to the focal point and thus allow maximum amplification. Therefore, with the aid of the finite element method, the design has been calculated in such a way that the mirror deformations occurring in each mirror position and during each tracking movement again result in parabolic properties, so that in each case only the receiver has to be traced to the new focal point. After completion of the radio telescope measurements showed that the original desired tolerance of the mirror of 1 mm could be significantly undercut. Currently (2012) the mean deviation from the ideal paraboloid is less than 0.6 mm.
Visitor's pavilion at the radio telescope
The valley between the surrounding mountains largely protects the telescope from terrestrial radiation. [3] Broadcasting stations were banished from the environment.
About 45% of the observation time is provided to foreign astronomers.
The radio telescope Effelsberg served as a template for the 500 Pf stamp of the permanent mark series industry and technology of the German Federal Post.