RATAN 600

RATAN 600

Abbrev. for Radio Astronomical Telescope of the Academy of Sciences, a reflecting ring antenna built (1976) at the Zelenchukskaya site of the Special Astrophysical Observatory in the Caucasus. It consists of 895 metal panels, each 2 meters wide and 7.4 meters high, arranged in a circle 576 meters across. The panels can be tilted individually so that they form part of one large paraboloid surface and reflect radio waves horizontally to a smaller secondary mirror and antenna within the circle. Different sections of the ring can be used to image separate sources simultaneously. Observations can be made at wavelengths between 1 and 50 cm.