TV documentary charts installation of Ireland’s world-leading I-LOFAR telescope

Posted on: 19 October 2017

Stargazers with an interest in our solar system and galaxies far, far away, should tune in to 13 Billion Light Years from Birr when the documentary showcasing the installation of Ireland’s world-leading I-LOFAR telescope airs this evening – Thursday October 19 – at 10:15 pm on RTÉ; One.

The International LOFAR (LOw Frequency ARray) Telescope is a €150 million network of radio telescopes distributed across Europe. Irish Government and agency investment, coupled with world-leading expertise from Trinity and Ireland's research pool, has propelled Ireland to the forefront of radio astronomy. I-LOFAR, the largest radio telescope in the world, was officially switched on in July this summer.

I-LOFAR is located at Birr, Co Offaly, adjacent to the historic Leviathan telescope, which was built by the 3rd Earl of Rosse in 1845 and was the largest optical telescope in the world until 1917. The telescope in Birr has been supported with an award of €1.4 million from Science Foundation Ireland and the annual membership fee for LOFAR is funded by the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation.

The documentary follows the construction of the telescope and touches on its exceptional capabilities for research purposes.

Professor in Astrophysics at Trinity, Peter Gallagher, is Head of the I-LOFAR Collaboration. He said: “The I-LOFAR documentary tells the story of scientists building huge telescopes to address some of the most challenging questions in science.”

“The Irish LOFAR telescope at Birr is the first research grade telescope to have been built in Ireland in over 150 years, and has connected Ireland to the largest low frequency radio telescope in the world. No doubt, the telescope will give us a new understanding of phenomena in our solar system, our galaxy, and far beyond."