.jpg) The Green Bank Telescope | |
| Alternative names | GBT  |
|---|---|
| Named after | Robert Byrd |
| Part of | Green Bank Observatory National Radio Astronomy Observatory |
| Location(s) | Green Bank, United States National Radio Quiet Zone, Pocahontas County, US |
| Coordinates | 38°25′59″N 79°50′23″W / 38.4331211°N 79.839835°W |
| Organization | Green Bank Observatory National Radio Astronomy Observatory |
| Observing time | 365 nights per year |
| Built | 1990–2000 |
| First light | 23 August 2000 |
| Telescope style | Gregorian telescope radio telescope |
| Diameter | 100 m (328 ft 1 in) |
| Collecting area | 2.34 acres (102,000 sq ft) |
| Focal length | 60 m (196 ft 10 in) |
| Website | greenbankobservatory |
  Location of Green Bank Telescope | |
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The Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope (GBT) in Green Bank, West Virginia, US is the world's largest fully steerable radio telescope,[1] surpassing the Effelsberg 100-m Radio Telescope in Germany.[2] The Green Bank site was part of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) until September 30, 2016. Since October 1, 2016, the telescope has been operated by the independent Green Bank Observatory.[3] The telescope's name honors the late Senator Robert C. Byrd who represented West Virginia and who pushed the funding of the telescope through Congress.
The Green Bank Telescope operates at meter to millimeter wavelengths. Its 100-meter diameter collecting area, unblocked aperture, and good surface accuracy provide superb sensitivity across the telescope's full 0.1–116 GHz operating range. The GBT is fully steerable, and 85 percent of the local celestial hemisphere is accessible. It is used for astronomy about 6500 hours every year, with 2000–3000 hours per year going to high-frequency science. Part of the scientific strength of the GBT is its flexibility and ease of use, allowing for rapid response to new scientific ideas. It is scheduled dynamically to match project needs to the available weather. The GBT is also readily reconfigured with new and experimental hardware. The high-sensitivity mapping capability of the GBT makes it a vital complement to the Atacama Large Millimeter Array, the Expanded Very Large Array, the Very Long Baseline Array, and other high-angular resolution interferometers. Facilities of the Green Bank Observatory are also used for other scientific research, for many programs in education and public outreach, and for training students and teachers.
The telescope began regular science operations in 2001, making it one of the newest astronomical facilities of the US National Science Foundation (NSF). It was constructed following the collapse of a previous telescope at Green Bank, the 300 Foot Radio Telescope, a 90.44 m paraboloid that began observations in October 1961.[4] This previous telescope collapsed on 15 November 1988 due to the failure of a gusset plate in the box girder assembly, which was a key component for the structural integrity of the telescope.[5][6]
- ^ Benningfield, Damond (June 2016). "SETI Gets an Upgrade". Air & Space/Smithsonian. National Air and Space Museum. Retrieved May 27, 2016.
- ^ "Radio Telescope Effelsberg".
- ^ "NRAO Structural Changes: Announcing the Separation of the Green Bank Observatory and the Long Baseline Observatory, Associated Universities, Inc".
- ^ Burner Flegel, Louise (April 14, 2016). "National Radio Astronomy Observatory". e-WV: The West Virginia Encyclopedia. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
- ^ NRAO 300 foot Telescope Collapse
- ^ "Decision Announced in Green Bank Telescope Arbitration Case" (Press release). National Radio Astronomy Observatory. February 12, 2001. Bibcode:2001nrao.pres....5. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
...with work to begin on December 19, 1990... telescope was accepted from the contractor on October 13, 2000, nearly six years later than the original contract delivery date.