Radio astronomy

[SA_tx_88116]

I’ve heard of radio astronomy and how NASA does it with huge dishes but is there a way a person can do it at home? What equipment is needed? I know I’ll need an Rtl-sdr because that’s the only radio that can listen to really high frequencies as long as you got the antenna for it.

 

[devicelab]

Yes.

Quick edit: There are *many* types of RA and this is just one example. I'm not sure what you mean by 'high frequencies' -- as many receivers have supported 3 Ghz for a long time. Most of the 'science' RA frequencies are much lower -- see the below video.

 

[merlin]

I haven't used an RTL-SDR in this application but you can get them high enough in frequency, they can be used.
My setup was an old 1 meter dish with LNBs from 11 to 24 Ghz. The dish mounted on a pan and tilt mount, I could search the universe.
Best reception though was a pulsar in the crab nebula, and could look at the sun for flares and sun spots.
You don't really hear much, sort of music in the noise.
On a waterfall, you can see the hydrogen spike, or raises/changes in noise like that produced by quasars or pulsars.
Fascinating but easy to get burned out before long.

 

[SA_tx_88116]

I haven't used an RTL-SDR in this application but you can get them high enough in frequency, they can be used.
My setup was an old 1 meter dish with LNBs from 11 to 24 Ghz. The dish mounted on a pan and tilt mount, I could search the universe.
Best reception though was a pulsar in the crab nebula, and could look at the sun for flares and sun spots.
You don't really hear much, sort of music in the noise.
On a waterfall, you can see the hydrogen spike, or raises/changes in noise like that produced by quasars or pulsars.
Fascinating but easy to get burned out before long.

What’s an LNB? heard of it before just don’t know what it is

 

[RFI-EMI-GUY]

What’s an LNB? heard of it before just don’t know what it is

Low noise block downconverter amplifier. Used as preamp on satellite TV receive only. They generally have a down converter to convert the enter "block" of microwave TV channels to 950 to 1450 MHz Intermediate frequency so that simple cheap RG6U cable can carry back to receiver.