Irbene RT32 radio telescope, Radio telescope in Irbene, Latvia.
The Irbene RT32 radio telescope is a radio astronomy facility in western Latvia, built around a 32-meter parabolic dish mounted on a rotating structure. The dish can be pointed in different directions to collect signals from space, and the site also includes laboratory spaces and a small exhibition.
Soviet forces built this facility in 1974 under the military codename Zvezdochka for surveillance purposes. After Latvia regained independence in 1991, scientists took over the site and turned it into a civilian radio astronomy station.
The name RT32 refers directly to the diameter of the dish in meters, which makes the label itself a technical description. Inside the building, visitors can still spot details from the Soviet military period sitting alongside modern research equipment.
Guided tours run only during the warmer months, and booking ahead is required before visiting. The site sits in a remote forested area of western Latvia, so having your own transport makes the trip much easier.
Most of the components were manufactured in a Ukrainian shipyard, which is why parts of the interior look more like a vessel than a research building. This naval construction logic is visible in the metalwork and structural details throughout the site.
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