{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}} {{Infobox Observatory|location=[[Cambridge, Tasmania]], Australia|coordinates={{coord|42|48|13|S|147|26|26|E|type:landmark_region:AU-TAS|display=inline,title}}}} The '''Mount Pleasant Radio Observatory''' is a [[radio astronomy|radio-astronomy]]-based [[observatory]] owned and operated by the [[University of Tasmania]], located 20 km east of [[Hobart]] in [[Cambridge, Tasmania]].<ref name="utas">{{cite web|url=http://www-ra.phys.utas.edu.au/physics_mt_pleasant.html|title=Mt Pleasant Observatory|last=Johnston-Hollitt|first=Melanie|date=August 2004|publisher=School of Mathematics & Physics, University of Tasmania|access-date=2009-04-28|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://archive.today/20050616061742/http://www-ra.phys.utas.edu.au/physics_mt_pleasant.html|archive-date=2005-06-16}}</ref> It is home to three radio astronomy antennas and the Grote Reber Museum.
== Equipment == The observatory has two active radio telescopes: the Mount Pleasant 26 m antenna and a 12 m AuScope VLBI Antenna. The Observatory is linked to the University of Tasmania's Hobart campus with a 25 km [[fibre optic]] cable, installed in 2007.<ref name="brett">{{cite web|url=https://ivscc.gsfc.nasa.gov/publications/ar2006/nshobart.pdf|title=Hobart, Mt. Pleasant, Station Report for 2006|last=Reid|first=Brett|author2=John M. Dickey|year=2006|publisher=University of Tasmania, Geoscience Australia|access-date=2024-01-21}}</ref><ref name="ABC fibre">{{cite web|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/04/27/1908271.htm|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121231070736/http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/04/27/1908271.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=31 December 2012|title=Big technical advance for Tasmania's radio telescope |date=Apr 27, 2007 |type=2:40 pm AEST |publisher=[[ABC News (Australia)|ABC News]] |access-date=2009-04-28}}</ref>
[[Image:Mt Pleasant radio telescope night.jpg|thumb|300px|The 26-metre dish at Mount Pleasant as seen at night]]
The 14 m Vela telescope that was constructed in 1981 as a dedicated instrument for observation of the [[Vela Pulsar]] was decommissioned in 2006, after which a refurbishing process began. The telescope tracked the pulsar 18 hours per day, nearly continuously for over 20 years.<ref name="utas" /><ref>{{cite journal|last=Dodson|first=Richard|author2=Dion Lewis |author3=Peter McCulloch |date=20 March 2007|title=Two decades of pulsar timing of Vela |journal=Astrophysics and Space Science|location=Netherlands|volume=308|issue=1–4|pages=585–589|issn=0004-640X|arxiv = astro-ph/0612371 |bibcode = 2007Ap&SS.308..585D |doi = 10.1007/s10509-007-9372-4 |s2cid=7240348}}</ref>
The 26 m Radio dish came from the [[Orroral Valley Tracking Station]] in the Australian Capital Territory, where it was used as a satellite tracker within the [[Spacecraft Tracking and Data Acquisition Network]] and then for support to [[NASA]] crewed missions.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.honeysucklecreek.net/other_stations/orroral/index.html|title=A STADAN antenna: Satellite Tracking and Data Acquisition Network|last=Mackellar|first=Colin|access-date=2009-08-12}}</ref> The 26 m telescope is used in Australia's [[very long baseline interferometry]] (VLBI) network.<ref name="utas" />
== Other telescopes== The University of Tasmania also operates three other radio astronomy antennas: the 30 m Ceduna Radio Observatory (South Australia) and two additional AuScope 12 m antennas at [[Katherine, Northern Territory|Katherine]] (Northern Territory) and [[Yaragadee]] (Western Australia).
The University also owns and operates the [[Bisdee Tier Optical Astronomy Observatory]]. The [[Canopus Hill Observatory]] is closed.
== Museum == An on-site museum is dedicated to the life and works of [[Grote Reber]]; it contains some of his ashes and a [[3D film|3D theatre]]. It also discusses Tasmania's major role in [[radiophysics]]. The museum hosts about 5000 visitors annually and runs several Open Days each year. Some University of Tasmania students act as tour guides as part of their studies.
==See also== * [[List of radio telescopes]]
==References== {{commons category|Mount Pleasant Radio Observatory}} {{reflist}}
==External links== *[http://ra-wiki.phys.utas.edu.au/ University of Tasmania website on observatory] *[http://www.groterebermuseum.org.au/ Grote Reber Museum]
{{University of Tasmania}} {{Australian universities}} {{Hobart landmarks}} {{radio-astronomy}} {{Portal bar|Australia|Astronomy|Stars|Spaceflight|Outer space|Solar System|Education|Science}}
[[Category:Astronomical observatories in Tasmania]] [[Category:University of Tasmania]] [[Category:Museums in Tasmania]] [[Category:Science museums in Australia]] [[Category:Biographical museums in Australia]] [[Category:Radio observatories]]