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Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy

Auf dem Hügel 69
D-53121 Bonn - Endenich

Research Departments

Fundamental Physics in Radio Astronomy
(Michael Kramer)

Radio astronomical measurements allow the study of a variety of questions in fundamental physics. Those questions range from the equation-of-state of super-dense matter to the investigation of fundamental forces such as gravity and magnetism.

Millimeter and Submillimeter Astronomy
(Karl Menten)

The research team uses the millimetre- and sub-millimetre range of the electromagnetic spectrum to observe various phenomena in the universe. The cosmic background radiation is also being investigated, as well as molecular clouds in the Milky Way and other galaxies.

Star Formation and Galaxy Evolution
(Amélie Saintonge)

Galaxies grow and evolve through successive episodes of star formation; central to this picture are therefore the flows of gas that feed the interstellar medium, the processes that regulate the formation of stars, and the energetic feedback that returns material and energy to the larger scale environment.

Radio Astronomy / VLBI
(Anton Zensus)

By employing radio-interferometry, extragalactic objects and their centres are investigated in great detail. The Very Long Base Line Interferometry (VLBI) method is applied by correlating data from telescopes distributed worldwide and using them as a “giant“ combined telescope within the framework of coordinated arrays as the the European VLBI network (EVN). In addition, global VLBI experiments are conducted in cooperation with telescopes in the USA.

Research News

Cosmic cartography – mapping the gravitational wave background

December 03, 2024

The most sensitive map of the gravitational wave sky to date was produced by an international collaboration of researchers including numerous scientists from the Max Planck Institute for Radio Astronomy in Bonn, Germany. To achieve this goal, the ...

The MeerKAT Absorption Line Survey

September 03, 2024

Using data from the MeerKAT radio telescope, an international team of astronomers from the MeerKAT Absorption Line Survey (MALS) collaboration have compiled the largest catalog of radio sources from any MeerKAT survey to date. The MALS collaboration ...

Announcements

Astronomers take the first close-up picture of a star outside our galaxy

November 25, 2024

For the first time, scientists succeeded in taking a zoomed-in image of a dying star in a galaxy outside our own Milky Way. Located a staggering 160 000 light-years from us, the star WOH G64 was imaged thanks to the impressive sharpness offered by ...

Germany has become an official member of the SKAO

November 01, 2024

The German Federal Research Minister, Bettina Stark-Watzinger, had already announced the upcoming accession of Germany during her visit to one of the SKAO’s telescope sites, in South Africa Northern Cape, in March 2023. Now it is official: Germany ...

Job Offers

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