Green Bank Observatory on:
[Wikipedia]
[Google]
[Amazon]
The Green Bank Observatory (previously National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Green Bank) is an
*
* 300 Foot Radio Telescope – suddenly collapsed in November 1988, from the loss of a gusset plate
* Green Bank Interferometer
* Reber Radio Telescope – designated a
astronomical observatory
An observatory is a location used for observing terrestrial, marine, or celestial events. Astronomy, climatology/meteorology, geophysical, oceanography and volcanology are examples of disciplines for which observatories have been constructed. H ...
located in the National Radio Quiet Zone in Green Bank
A green bank (sometimes referred to as green investment bank, clean energy finance authority, or clean energy finance corporation) is a financial institution, typically public or quasi-public, that uses innovative financing techniques and marke ...
, West Virginia, U.S. It is the operator of the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope
The Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope (GBT) in Green Bank, West Virginia, US is the world's largest fully steerable radio telescope, surpassing the Effelsberg 100-m Radio Telescope in Germany. The Green Bank site was part of the National Radio ...
, the world's largest fully steerable radio telescope.
The observatory was established as the National Science Foundation
The National Science Foundation (NSF) is an independent agency of the United States government that supports fundamental research and education in all the non-medical fields of science and engineering. Its medical counterpart is the National ...
's (NSF) National Radio Astronomy Observatory
The National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) is a federally funded research and development center of the United States National Science Foundation operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc. for the purpose of radio ...
(NRAO) in 1956 and made its first observations in 1958. It served as the NRAO's headquarters until 1966, after which the facility was known as the National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Green Bank.
In October 2016, the observatory became an independent institution following a 2012 recommendation that the NSF fully divest itself from the facility by October 1, 2016.
Green Bank Observatory subsequently retained partial NSF funding, established private contracts, and formed a partnership with West Virginia University
West Virginia University (WVU) is a public land-grant research university with its main campus in Morgantown, West Virginia. Its other campuses are those of the West Virginia University Institute of Technology in Beckley, Potomac State Coll ...
. It is operated by the nonprofit Associated Universities, Inc., under a cooperative agreement with the National Science Foundation.
Active telescopes
* Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope
The Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope (GBT) in Green Bank, West Virginia, US is the world's largest fully steerable radio telescope, surpassing the Effelsberg 100-m Radio Telescope in Germany. The Green Bank site was part of the National Radio ...
* 140 Foot (43m) Telescope
* 20 Meter Telescope
* 40 Foot Telescope
The 40-foot radio telescope at Green Bank Observatory in the U.S. state of West Virginia was constructed in 1961, and started observing a selection of variable radio sources in the same year, completing its observations in 1968. It became the ...
Historic and other telescopes
* 300 Foot Radio Telescope – suddenly collapsed in November 1988, from the loss of a gusset plate
* Green Bank Interferometer
* Reber Radio Telescope – designated a National Historic Landmark
A National Historic Landmark (NHL) is a building, district, object, site, or structure that is officially recognized by the United States government for its outstanding historical significance. Only some 2,500 (~3%) of over 90,000 places listed ...
in 1989
* Howard E. Tatel Radio Telescope — utilized in Project Ozma in 1960, the first search for extraterrestrial intelligence (SETI) with a radio telescope
* 45 Foot Telescope
See also
*List of astronomical observatories
This is a list of astronomical observatories ordered by name, along with initial dates of operation (where an accurate date is available) and location. The list also includes a final year of operation for many observatories that are no longer in ...
References
External links
* * * * {{Authority control Radio observatories Astronomy institutes and departments Organizations based in West Virginia Research institutes in West Virginia Research institutes established in 1956 Scientific organizations established in 1956 1956 establishments in West Virginia National Science Foundation Buildings and structures in Pocahontas County, West Virginia