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We’re extremely happy to announce that the Institute of Astronomy with National Astronomical Observatory at the Bulgarian Academy of Science, is organizing international seminar-discussion, dedicated on pan-European distributed low-frequency radio telescope LOFAR!

The day-long event will hold place in December 3, 2019, Tuesday, at the Sofia Tech Park (Hall 125, Laboratory complex).

The goals of the seminar are 1) presenting to the Bulgarian astronomical community the benefits of the LOFAR telescope, 2) discussing the creation of a National consortium for building and managing a Bulgarian LOFAR station, 3) inclusion in the International LOFAR Telescope.

We have invited great lecturers: 

Rene Vermeulen – Director of International LOFAR Telescope, ASTRON, Netherlands

Carla Baldovin – Policy Officer LOFAR and European Radio Facilities, ASTRON, Netherlands

Pietro Zucca – Staff Researcher, Co-Chair of LOFAR Solar KSP, ASTRON, Netherlands

Peter Gallagher – Senior Professor, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, Head of Irish LOFAR, Ireland

Eoin Carley – Research Scientist, Dublin Institute for Advanced Studies, Head of Irish LOFAR, Ireland

Marcis Donerblics  – Deputy head of technical service, Ventspils International Radio Astronomy Center, Latvia

Ilia Roussev – Program Director, Atmospheric and Geospace Sciences, NSF, USA

In mid-August of 2019, the Institute of Astronomy and National Astronomical Observatory at the Bulgarian Academy of Science submitted an application for extension of the National Roadmap for Scientific Infrastructure with a LOFAR station. The application was made as a response to an open invitation by the Ministry of Education and Science. With our application we’ve informed officially the Ministry for our plans in developing National Radioastronomical Observatory, based on future Bulgarian LOFAR station. The plan envisages an overall layout and design by 2021, preparation of the conceptual and technical design for the LOFAR station by 2022, creation and first light of the station itself in 2023. We expect feedback from the Ministry of Education and Science 🙂