The Institute of Astronomy with NAO offers opportunities to participate in its construction through summer internships for students, doctoral students, and young scientists.
By the end of 2026, Bulgaria will complete the construction of the first observatory in Southeast Europe for the world’s largest low-frequency radio telescope – LOFAR (Low Frequency Array). This is a pan-European project involving 52 antenna stations in eight countries: the Netherlands, Germany, Poland, France, Ireland, Latvia, Sweden, and the United Kingdom. An expansion with additional stations in Italy and Bulgaria is underway this year.
Research into the Universe using the LOFAR radio telescope, headquartered in the Netherlands, covers scientific fields such as solar and space weather, the study of the early Universe, galaxy formation, pulsar physics, transient radio phenomena, ultra-high-energy cosmic particles, the interstellar medium, and cosmic magnetic fields.
Bulgaria, together with Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, and Poland, is a co-founder of the European Research Infrastructure Consortium (ERIC), established by the European Commission in December 2023. LOFAR ERIC provides transparent access to a wide range of scientific services for the European and global community, promoting collaboration and enabling researchers to undertake innovative, large-scale projects. A major upgrade, known as LOFAR 2.0, improves research and data processing capabilities by providing the astronomical community with a set of advanced instruments characterized by a wide visual field, improved sensitivity, and the ability to observe in multiple directions simultaneously.
The LOFAR-BG project is funded as part of the National Roadmap for Research Infrastructure of the Republic of Bulgaria 2020-2027, coordinated by the Ministry of Education and Science.
The Institute of Astronomy with NAO-BAS is organizing a summer internship in radio astronomy and the construction of LOFAR-BG – 2026. The internship is intended for students (bachelor’s and master’s), doctoral students, and young scientists with an interest in radio astronomy, physics, and engineering sciences who wish to gain practical experience in working with research infrastructure while spending their summer amid the magic of the Rhodope Mountains.
The summer internship will give participants the opportunity to become part of a leading scientific and technical project of international significance – the LOFAR-BG station, which is being built in close proximity to the National Astronomical Observatory – Rozhen. Participants will be divided into teams with a minimum participation period of two weeks. The in-person internship provides opportunities for teamwork in the field, with lectures and practical training by leading researchers in the field.
For more information, visit https://lofar.bg
