The 300-foot telescope in Green Bank, West Virginia was a transit telescope, meaning that it could only lift and dip, not spin around on its base. In this photo, the 300-foot impressively poses at an angle, showing off how well balanced it was on its semi-circle gear. Its first control building is under construction beneath it.
How Low Can You Go?
The 300-foot telescope in Green Bank, West Virginia dips for the cameras after its steel structure is complete. The 300-foot was a transit telescope, meaning that it could only lift and tip, not spin around on its base.
Giant Telescope in the Backyard
The 300-foot telescope in Green Bank, West Virginia dwarfs the farmhouse behind it.
300-foot Masterpiece
The 300-foot telescope in Green Bank, West Virginia after its completion in September 1962.
Early Aerial Over Green Bank
This aerial photograph was taken three years after the 300-foot telescope was completed in Green Bank, West Virginia. The trackway for the Green Bank Interferometer (GBI) can be seen, and off to the left would have been the second 85-foot Blaw Knox telescope, the 85-2, that formed our first interferometer.
Paving the Way for Serious Research
When the 300-foot Telescope was completed in 1962, it quickly became a busy instrument used by astronomers from around the world. It was the world’s largest single-dish telescope, and certainly an impressive view for staff and residents of Green Bank, West Virginia.