THE HISTORY OF RADIO ASTRONOMY IN POLAND: FROM SOLAR PATROLS TO PULSARS AND VLBI

Abstract

The development of radio astronomy in Poland took some time to occur, in view of the destruction of the country during World War II. Also, the shift of the country's borders in favor of the Soviet Union led to the loss of two important astronomy observatories: the historic centers of astronomy in Wilno and Lwόw. The relocation of these important astronomical centers to Toruń and Wrocław in the West needed considerable effort. Hence radio astronomy was a second priority as the optical astronomers had to become operational first. Nevertheless, in the 1950s groups in Krakόw and Toruń started to erect radio telescopes. In Krakόw solar radio astronomy became established. In Toruń, there were experiments with low frequency parabolic antennas. First, a 15-m dish was built, and later a 32-m dish became operational. In Krakόw the solar patrol continued and a LOFAR station was added. Contacts with radio observatories in other parts of the world were established. In 1988 a new regional university was established in Zielona Gόra, and a group involved in pulsar research was built up there.