Anthony J. Beasley is the Director of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, taking over from Fred K. Lo.
After receiving his Doctorate in Astrophysics from the University of Sydney, Beasley joined NRAO as a Postdoctoral Fellow in 1991. He was appointed Deputy Assistant Director in 1997 and then Assistant Director from 1998 to 2000. He left NRAO to become Project Manager for the Combined Array for Research in Millimeter-wave Astronomy (CARMA). In 2004, he returned to NRAO as an Assistant Director, this time as Project Manager for the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) in Chile. In 2008, Beasley became the Chief Operating Officer and Project Manager of the National Ecological Observatory Network (NEON). He was appointed NRAO Director in February, 2012.
Drilling Bolt Holes on the 140 Foot Telescope
The equatorial ring of the 140-foot (43-meter) telescope is a section of a 42-foot diameter circle. Its bronze gear was assembled from 28 separate segments that had to be accurately attached to the 3-million pound yoke. In this photo, engineers guide the massive drill into the equatorial ring of the 140-foot telescope in order to create the bolt holes.
The second 85-foot telescope of Green Bank Observatory
Previously, owned by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO), Green Bank Observatory’s second 85-foot telescope (85-2) was, like its predecessor, the Howard E. Tatel Telescope, was built from a kit by the Blaw-Knox Corporation. Completed in February 1964, the 85-2 paired with the Tatel to form the NRAO’s first array, the Green Bank Interferometer (GBI). The GBI was changeable, because the 85-2 telescope sat on its own set of 64 wheels, and tractors could haul it up and down this stretch of road leading from the Tatel. In fact, the D7 Bulldozer in the foreground right was used as a pulling truck. Changing the distance between the 85-footers changed the resolution of the array’s combined view: farther equals higher resolution. An early computer combined the data from the two telescopes, and the cable tray for the signals runs along the far left of this photo. Today, there are three 85-foot dish antenna’s that for the GBI.
Black and white image of the second 85-foot telescope
The NRAO’s second 85-foot telescope came as a kit from the Blaw-Knox Corporation. It was ready for observation in February 1964 and paired with the Howard E. Tatel 85-foot telescope to form the NRAO’s first array, the Green Bank Interferometer (GBI). The GBI was changeable, because this telescope had its own built-in wheels to allow it to be hauled it up and down a stretch of road leading from the Tatel. Changing the distance between the 85-footers changed the resolution of the array’s combined view: farther equals higher resolution.
Hauling an 85-foot telescope around Green Bank
A bulldozer and a tow tractor pull the 85-2 down the road that spanned the Green Bank Interferometer (GBI), the NRAO’s first array. Built-in tires on this and its twin, the 85-3, allowed an astronomer to change their separation from the stationary Howard E. Tatel 85-foot by getting telescope technicians to haul the telescopes to new distances from each other. Changing the distance between the 85-footers changed the resolution of the array’s combined view: farther equals higher resolution. By adding a third element into the array, the sensitivity of the array increased.
The third 85-foot telescope
The Outlier 85-3, or third 85-foot kit telescope from Blaw-Knox Corporation, was assembled in Green Bank, West Virginia in 1964 as the third member of the Green Bank Interferometer (GBI). All three 85-foot telescopes currently has no observing projects, but can be reactivated if needed.