CosmicRami on Nostr: In about a week, an important chapter in #RadioAstronomy and Australian space ...
In about a week, an important chapter in #RadioAstronomy and Australian space heritage will come to a close.
The Molongolo Observatory, operating for 58 years and the last Mills Cross in Aust. will cease operations. 😭
The telescope recently had received some upgrades, but after almost 60 years of operations - its time has come.
It's had an incredible run, hosting over 50 PhDs, mapping the southern skies and training a generation of radio astronomers.
The design was pioneered by the work of Bernard Mills, with a prototype, known as the Mills Cross once developed at the Fleurs field station in Badgery's Creek in Sydney - where the new airport is currently being built.
It's also where a memorial and a small container of ashes of the radio astronomer pioneer, Grote Reber, are located (other telescopes also have Reber memorials too).
Over its time, this telescope has made such a significant impact in astronomy.
Besides the historical impact, MOST also was in recent times doing some excellent FRB science, and of course, all these years of knowledge in the radio astro community + instrumentation + survey results will go towards the SKA project.
So, now we say goodbye to a fantastic piece of Australian science infrastructure that holds a special place in the hearts of many who have come to know this gentle giant.
But we celebrate and thank its huge contribution to radio astronomy for nearly 60 years!
https://spaceaustralia.com/feature/iconic-australian-telescope-upgraded-future-science
📸 UTMOST / B. Pedersen / TROVE https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-137782825/view
#SpaceAustralia #Astrodon #Telescopes #Scienec #SpaceHeritage
The Molongolo Observatory, operating for 58 years and the last Mills Cross in Aust. will cease operations. 😭
The telescope recently had received some upgrades, but after almost 60 years of operations - its time has come.
It's had an incredible run, hosting over 50 PhDs, mapping the southern skies and training a generation of radio astronomers.
The design was pioneered by the work of Bernard Mills, with a prototype, known as the Mills Cross once developed at the Fleurs field station in Badgery's Creek in Sydney - where the new airport is currently being built.
It's also where a memorial and a small container of ashes of the radio astronomer pioneer, Grote Reber, are located (other telescopes also have Reber memorials too).
Over its time, this telescope has made such a significant impact in astronomy.
Besides the historical impact, MOST also was in recent times doing some excellent FRB science, and of course, all these years of knowledge in the radio astro community + instrumentation + survey results will go towards the SKA project.
So, now we say goodbye to a fantastic piece of Australian science infrastructure that holds a special place in the hearts of many who have come to know this gentle giant.
But we celebrate and thank its huge contribution to radio astronomy for nearly 60 years!
https://spaceaustralia.com/feature/iconic-australian-telescope-upgraded-future-science
📸 UTMOST / B. Pedersen / TROVE https://nla.gov.au/nla.obj-137782825/view
#SpaceAustralia #Astrodon #Telescopes #Scienec #SpaceHeritage