Just like a sci-fi movie |
An interesting place |
It was opened in 1975 and is used primarily by astronomers from around the world. It's also occasionally used for atmospheric and weather studies, satellite tracking and other miscellaneous research.
And, it was open! |
They should sell these tiles |
VLA/Hubble radio and visible-light image of the Teacup Galaxy; Photo: C. Harrison, A. Thomson, B. Saxton, NRAO, AUI, NSF, NASA |
I wanted to watch them crank |
One of very few people there, I took the self-guided walking tour completely by myself. It is a short stroll that gives some closer access to the large telescopes (although you can't go too close) ...
Intimidating |
A unique art piece |
Why do people do that? |
Cool look |
I loved that move: Photo: Warner Bros. |
Are they there for the science or the grass? |
Before I headed home, I made one more stop: the Ladd S. Gordon Waterfowl Complex near Bernardo, New Mexico.
The greeter at the Bosque del Apache visitor center had recommended it as an additional viewing site for Sandhill Cranes and Snow Geese. It has a dirt road with a number of viewing platforms and blinds, although, typically, the birds tended to NOT be near these structures.
I grabbed some more pictures of Sandhill Cranes. I didn't see any Snow Geese.
Then, I headed out for the long drive home.
I contemplated stopping for the night so that I could visit Fort Union national Historic Site in northern New Mexico, but didn't. I have driven by it so many times, but always too late, too early or when I was in too much of a hurry, Oh, well, someday!
Sandhill Cranes |
Empty lake |
He went thataway |
I contemplated stopping for the night so that I could visit Fort Union national Historic Site in northern New Mexico, but didn't. I have driven by it so many times, but always too late, too early or when I was in too much of a hurry, Oh, well, someday!
Trip date: January 27-29, 2016
*Karl Guthe Jansky (who was born in Norman Oklahoma, in 1905) invented the rotating radio telescope while investigating sources of static interference for radio voice transmission while he was working for Bell Labs. His discovery of radio signals coming from the Milky Way was big news in 1933. But, because Jansky's invention had little to do with voice transmission, Bell Labs did not pursue further research. And, because it was during the Depression, no other scientists took up the work until Grote Reber built a radio telescope in his back yard in 1937 and did the first systematic survey of radio waves from the sky. Then, after World War II, John Kraus, started a radio observatory at The Ohio State University and wrote a textbook on radio astronomy, which is still the "bible" for radio astronomers.
*Karl Guthe Jansky (who was born in Norman Oklahoma, in 1905) invented the rotating radio telescope while investigating sources of static interference for radio voice transmission while he was working for Bell Labs. His discovery of radio signals coming from the Milky Way was big news in 1933. But, because Jansky's invention had little to do with voice transmission, Bell Labs did not pursue further research. And, because it was during the Depression, no other scientists took up the work until Grote Reber built a radio telescope in his back yard in 1937 and did the first systematic survey of radio waves from the sky. Then, after World War II, John Kraus, started a radio observatory at The Ohio State University and wrote a textbook on radio astronomy, which is still the "bible" for radio astronomers.
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