What is the universe like, what are radio waves and how does the Lofar radio telescope actually work? During the Science Weekend, the public received these questions answered.
“Do you hear that? When I move the ball, the sound becomes higher or lower.” Tammo Jan Dijkema, scientific software engineer at the Astron radio astronomical institute in Dwingeloo, swings a tennis ball on a string above his head. He stands firmly on his yellow-red clogs in the grass.
The nagging beep coming from the ball, at a frequency of 3000 hertz, does indeed sound higher and then lower again. He looks questioningly at a boy of about 11 years old. “Do you hear it?” “Yes!” the boy shouts enthusiastically. “That’s called the Doppler effect,” Dijkema explains. “You also hear it when a car speeds past. When Max Verstappen is in the car you hear a different sound than when he races past.” The children listening suddenly seem to understand him much better.
LOFAR
Dijkema’s presentation is part of the fifth LofarDag, which is being organized this year during the national Science Weekend. This Sunday, the site of the LOFAR radio telescope between Buinen and Exloo is one of the most important sights in Drenthe during the science weekend.
The telescope consists of a total of 20,000 antennas, spread throughout Europe. The area between Buinen and Exloo has the most antennas, several thousand. They capture radio waves from space, which are used by scientists at Astron in Dwingeloo for scientific research. For example, research is being done into exoplanets, planets outside our galaxy.
The LofarDag is mainly aimed at parents with children. There are guided tours of the antennas and everywhere on the site children can do scientific experiments: imitating black holes with marbles and a trampoline, observing animals in nature and finding out how lightning is registered.
‘Technology is not scary’
The organization is in the hands of the LofarTafel Foundation, which provides guided tours in the area. The foundation is working together with Astron and the Drents Landschap on Sunday. Every day, LofarTafel wants to introduce people to the special telescope in the area. “The antennas here are the heart of the whole,” says board member Martha Buitenkamp. “But if you just walk around here, you won’t understand anything. While there really is a high-quality scientific project here.”
Astron also wants to share its telescope with the outside world. “We think it is important to show the people in the region, whose telescope is in their backyard, so to speak, what we are actually doing here,” says spokesperson Frank Nuijens. “In addition, this project was paid for with taxpayer money.”
In addition, Astron also wants to introduce future generations to science and technology. “We want to show that science and technology are not scary. It is something that you can do at all levels, from intermediate vocational education to university level.”
Judging by the crowd, the LofarDag seems to be a success. “We are very satisfied,” says Buitenkamp with a big smile. “Last year we had about 800 visitors, I think we are approaching a thousand today.”