Jodrell Bank Observatory

Jodrell Bank Observatory is part of the University of Manchester's Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics at Lower Withington, Cheshire.

The observatory was established in 1945 by Sir Bernard Lovell, a radio astronomer at the University of Manchester who wanted to investigate cosmic rays after his work on radar during the Second World War.

The Lovell Telescope at Jodrell Bank Observatory

The "Mark I" telescope, now known as the Lovell Telescope, was the largest steerable dish radio telescope in the world, 76.2 metres (250 ft) in diameter, when it was completed in 1957.

[Wikipedia]


Jodrell Bank Observatory is part of the University of Manchester's Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics at Lower Withington, Cheshire.

The observatory was established in 1945 by Sir Bernard Lovell, a radio astronomer at the University of Manchester who wanted to investigate cosmic rays after his work on radar during the Second World War.

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The Lovell Telescope at Jodrell Bank Observatory

Part of the gun turret mechanisms from the battleships HMS Revenge and Royal Sovereign were reused in the motor system for the telescope.

The telescope became operational in mid-1957, just in time for the launch of Sputnik 1, the world's first artificial satellite. It was the only telescope in the world able to track Sputnik's booster rocket by radar; first locating it just before midnight on 12 October 1957.

[Wikipedia]