Photo – Page 51 – National Radio Astronomy Observatory

Aircraft Lights Atop the VLA

In the early days of the Very Large Array, each 25-meter antenna had an aircraft warning light set atop its feed.

The Sun Sets Behind a Lone Antenna

A gorgeous pink sunset silhouettes a 25-meter antenna at the Very Large Array (VLA).

Watch for Cattle at the VLA

The plains of San Agustin were once home to the famous Cattle Drives of the 1800s. Local farmers have permission to use the lands of the Very Large Array for grazing.

Replacing waveguides with fiber optic cables

Laying Down the Lines

Part of the major upgrade to the Very Large Array (VLA) was to replace its original metal piped wave guide with fiber optics. Digging the deep trenches for the 2760 miles of fiber was no easy task!

Greening of the Desert at the VLA

During a particularly wet monsoon season in the deserts of central New Mexico, the lands around the Very Large Array explode in bright green grasses.

Building in Magdalena where VLA Project was run

VLA Magdalena office

In the 1970s, the Very Large Array project was run out of this office building in the nearby town of Magdalena, New Mexico.

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.
	The U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent federal agency created by Congress in 1950 "to promote the progress of science; to advance the national health, prosperity, and welfare; to secure the national defense..."
	AUI collaborates with the scientific community and research sponsors to plan, build, and operate cutting-edge facilities. We cultivate excellence, deliver value, enhance education, and engage the public.