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Review:
The Ventspils International Radio Astronomy Center, or VIRAC, is an ex-Soviet installation that wasn’t publicly known about until after Latvia gained independence. Founded by the Soviet military in 1974, the center includes a large 32-meter telescope, two smaller telescopes, and a communications center – all of which were possibly used during the Cold War by the KGB. It has since then been taken over by the Latvian Academy of Sciences. Visitors can go see the telescope, which is the 8th largest in the world and the largest in Northern Europe. The guided tours not only afford visitors an up close view of the telescope but also give them access to the facility’s laboratory and inspection areas.
Irbene, Ance parish, LV-3601, Latvia, Phone: +3-71-63-65-60-82
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
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