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Difference Between a Radio Telescope and a Highly Directional Radio Antenna

-- | January 23, 2019

Question: How do we distinguish between a radio telescope and a highly directional radio antenna? — Renier

Answer: In fact, they are the same thing. Radio telescopes which do astronomical observations are designed to be highly directional so that we know exactly what we are looking at. Since the wavelengths at which radio astronomical measurements are done drives us to make telescopes that are dish reflectors, all radio telescopes are also highly directional radio antennas.

Jeff Mangum

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The National Radio Astronomy Observatory is a facility of the U.S. National Science Foundation operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc.
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