Photo – Page 105 – National Radio Astronomy Observatory

Welding in Green Bank

Green Bank Welder Patrick Schaffner hard at work welding a base plate to this cylindrical casing.

In its largest configuration (A), the Very Large Array radio antennas span over 22 miles across the Plains of San Augustin. Separating the antennas by such long distances gives the VLA a zoom-lens feature, bringing smaller details of radio objects into focus.

Antenna Move at the VLA

A 25-meter antenna rides the rails during a scheduled reconfiguration of the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array. The VLA’s 27 antennas are moved on a regular schedule throughout the year to change the resolution and capabilities of the array.

The National Radio Astronomy Observatory is a facility of the U.S. National Science Foundation operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc.
	Founded in 1956, the NRAO provides state-of-the-art radio telescope facilities for use by the international scientific community. NRAO telescopes are open to all astronomers regardless of institutional or national affiliation. Observing time on NRAO telescopes is available on a competitive basis to qualified scientists after evaluation of research proposals on the basis of scientific merit, the capability of the instruments to do the work, and the availability of the telescope during the requested time. NRAO also provides both formal and informal programs in education and public outreach for teachers, students, the general public, and the media.
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