Dwingeloo Radio Observatory

The Dwingeloo Radio Observatory is an observation facility with a 25-meter dish mounted on a rotating steel frame, topped with a control house at its base. The rotating mechanism allows the telescope to point in different directions across the sky for conducting radio observations and experiments.

The telescope began operations in 1956 as the primary research station for the Netherlands Institute for Radio Astronomy. It operated for more than 40 years, conducting important observations of the Milky Way before its closure in 2000.

The name comes from the nearby village of Dwingeloo, marking a period when the Netherlands rebuilt its scientific capabilities after wartime disruption. Amateur astronomers who use the facility today view it as a monument to that era of recovery and discovery.

Visit during daylight hours when the telescope's structure is clearly visible and architectural details can be appreciated. Keep in mind this is an active facility used by amateur astronomers, so access may be limited during observation sessions.

In the 1990s, astronomers using this telescope discovered two galaxies hidden behind the Milky Way, which they named Dwingeloo 1 and Dwingeloo 2. This finding demonstrated that large cosmic objects can remain completely concealed by interstellar dust.

Location: Westerveld

Inception: April 1956

Official opening: April 17, 1956

Architectural style: reconstruction-period architecture

Diameter: 25 m

Part of: Top 100 of Dutch monuments 1940-1958

Address: Oude Hoogeveensedijk 4, bij

GPS coordinates: 52.81194,6.39611

Latest update: December 8, 2025 13:43