The National Science Foundation’s National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) and the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ) are joining efforts to expand the capabilities of the world’s most powerful millimeter/ submillimeter telescope, the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA). In a little over two years, this collaboration will deliver high performance receiver components for Band 2, and accelerate the development of the significantly upgraded version of Band 6 receivers, known as Band 6v2, which are part of the ongoing Wideband Sensitivity Upgrade.

“This agreement speeds the development of ALMA’s Wideband Sensitivity Upgrade and establishes the groundwork for a promising longer term collaboration between NRAO and NAOJ,” shares Phil Jewell, NRAO North American ALMA Director. “ALMA is made possible by a major international collaboration, and it’s important to all partners that our telescope array remains a fundamental instrument for international astronomy for decades to come.”

Drawing upon the technical design, fabrication, and testing expertise of both organizations, new receiver components will be developed, fabricated, integrated, and tested. As part of these efforts, NRAO and NAOJ will collaborate in a design for a Superconductor-Insulator-Superconductor (SIS) mixer to be fabricated at NAOJ’s in-house facility, their Advanced Technology Center. This technology will greatly enhance the sensitivity of ALMA’s receivers.

NAOJ has already been collaborating with the European Southern Observatory to develop the initial six units of the Band 2 receiver. This agreement with NRAO will strengthen this partnership to deliver the rest. NRAO will use NAOJ’s relationship with specialized manufacturers to produce receiver components, including corrugated feed horns, waveguides and orthomode transducers. This will complete the second phase of the NAOJ/ESO project, to outfit the entire ALMA telescope array with Band 2 receivers.

For Band 6v2, NRAO and NAOJ engineers will investigate the performance of receiver optics, along with the design and fabrication of SIS mixers, with the intention of producing NRAO designs at the NAOJ facility. NAOJ will also design, test and produce prototypes of orthomode transducers for potential use in the Band 6v2 receivers.

“Through this agreement, NAOJ and NRAO will deepen our collaboration to make the most of our expertise for the production of the Band 2 receiver and the development of the Band 6v2 receiver, which are both key pieces of the ALMA2030 Wideband Sensitivity Upgrade,” adds Alvaro Gonzalez, NAOJ ALMA Project Director. “Joint efforts like this are crucial for sustainable long-term development in radio astronomy.”

About ALMA & NRAO

The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), an international astronomy facility, is a partnership of the European Organisation for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere (ESO), the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan in cooperation with the Republic of Chile. ALMA is funded by ESO on behalf of its Member States, by NSF in cooperation with the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) and the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) and by NINS in cooperation with the Academia Sinica (AS) in Taiwan and the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI).

ALMA construction and operations are led by ESO on behalf of its Member States; by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO), managed by Associated Universities, Inc. (AUI), on behalf of North America; and by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ) on behalf of East Asia. The Joint ALMA Observatory (JAO) provides the unified leadership and management of the construction, commissioning and operation of ALMA.

The NRAO is a facility of the National Science Foundation, operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc.

The post New US & Japan Partnership Will Make the World’s Most Powerful Telescope Even More Sensitive appeared first on National Radio Astronomy Observatory.

The Event Horizon Telescope (EHT) collaboration has published new results that describe for the first time how light from the edge of the supermassive black hole M87* spirals as it escapes the black hole’s intense gravity, a signature known as circular polarization. The way light’s electric field prefers to rotate clockwise or counterclockwise as it travels carries information about the magnetic field and types of high-energy particles around the black hole. The new paper, published today in Astrophysical Journal Letters, supports earlier findings from the EHT that the magnetic field near the M87* black hole is strong enough to occasionally stop the black hole from swallowing up nearby matter.

The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) is the world’s most powerful millimeter/ submillimeter telescope, and a key instrument for the EHT. The spiraling light at the heart of this research is actually made up of low frequency radio waves—light that can’t be seen by the human eye or optical telescopes, but can be observed by the many radio telescopes, including ALMA, working together across the EHT.

“Circular polarization is the final signal we looked for in the EHT’s first observations of the M87 black hole, and it was by far the hardest to analyze,” says  Andrew Chael, an associate research scholar at the Gravity Initiative at Princeton University, who coordinated the project.  “These new results give us confidence that our picture of a strong magnetic field permeating the hot gas surrounding the black hole is the right one. The unprecedented EHT observations are allowing us to answer long-standing questions about how black holes consume matter and launch jets outside their host galaxies.”

In 2019, the EHT released its first image of a ring of hot plasma close to the event horizon of M87*.  In 2021, EHT scientists released an image showing the directions of the oscillating electric fields across the image. Known as linear polarization, this result was the first sign that the magnetic fields close to the black hole were ordered and strong. The new measurements of the circular polarization – which indicate how light’s electric fields spiral around the linear direction from the 2021 analysis – provide yet more conclusive evidence for these strong magnetic fields.

ALMA provided both data and calibration for these results, and served as the array reference antenna for the EHT. Without the much greater sensitivity of ALMA as the reference antenna, circular polarization could not have been detected.

About ALMA & NRAO

The Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), an international astronomy facility, is a partnership of the European Organisation for Astronomical Research in the Southern Hemisphere (ESO), the U.S. National Science Foundation (NSF) and the National Institutes of Natural Sciences (NINS) of Japan in cooperation with the Republic of Chile. ALMA is funded by ESO on behalf of its Member States, by NSF in cooperation with the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) and the Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST) and by NINS in cooperation with the Academia Sinica (AS) in Taiwan and the Korea Astronomy and Space Science Institute (KASI).

ALMA construction and operations are led by ESO on behalf of its Member States; by the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO), managed by Associated Universities, Inc. (AUI), on behalf of North America; and by the National Astronomical Observatory of Japan (NAOJ) on behalf of East Asia. The Joint ALMA Observatory (JAO) provides the unified leadership and management of the construction, commissioning and operation of ALMA.

The National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) is a facility of the National Science Foundation, operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc.

The post A Supermassive Black Hole’s Strong Magnetic Fields are Revealed in a New Light appeared first on National Radio Astronomy Observatory.

Associated Universities, Inc. (AUI) and the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) have awarded the 2023 Karl G. Jansky Lectureship to Dr. Paul A. Vanden Bout, Senior Scientist, Emeritus at NRAO. The Jansky Lectureship is an honor established by the trustees of AUI to recognize outstanding contributions to the advancement of radio astronomy.

After earning his Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkeley, Dr. Vanden Bout pioneered work in millimeter-wavelength astronomy at McDonald Observatory. He was the Director of NRAO from 1985 to 2002, and oversaw the completion of the Very Long Baseline Array, Green Bank Telescope, Expanded  Very Large Array, now the Jansky Very Large Array, and the start of the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA).  He was Interim Director of ALMA from 2002 – 2003, and Interim Head of the North American ALMA Science Center from 2004 – 2005. ALMA is one of the largest astronomical projects in the world, a complex array of 66 radio telescopes located high in the Chilean desert. One of the biggest challenges was simply ensuring ALMA was successful. “Every big project has funding difficulties and touch-and-go situations.  ALMA was no exception,” Dr. Vanden Bout said. Beyond his service as NRAO Director, Dr. Vanden Bout has published nearly 100 research articles. He is also the first author of “The ALMA Telescope: The Story of a Science Mega-Project,” published by Cambridge University Press in Fall 2023.

Dr. Vanden Bout will deliver his Jansky Lecture, entitled “Millimeter Astronomy at NRAO – Some Personal Remembrances, “ in Charlottesville, VA on Wednesday November 8; at the Green Bank Observatory in Green Bank, WV on Thursday November 9; and in Socorro, NM on Friday November 17. Learn more about these event times and locations.

First awarded in 1966, the Jansky Lectureship is named in honor of the man who, in 1932, first detected radio waves from a cosmic source. Karl Jansky’s discovery of radio waves from the central region of the Milky Way started the science of radio astronomy.

Other recipients of the Jansky award include eight Nobel laureates (Drs. Subrahmanyan Chandrasekhar, Edward Purcell, Charles Townes, Arno Penzias, Robert Wilson, William Fowler, Joseph Taylor, and Reinhard Genzel) as well as Jocelyn Bell-Burnell, discoverer of the first pulsar, and Vera Rubin, discoverer of dark matter in galaxies.

See a list of past recipients.

The National Radio Astronomy Observatory and the Green Bank Observatory are facilities of the National Science Foundation, operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc.

The post Five Decades of Groundbreaking Millimeter Astronomy—From Discovering Molecules in Space to Imaging New Solar Systems appeared first on National Radio Astronomy Observatory.

Gravity can focus light like a lens, allowing astronomers to see distant galaxies and explore dark matter. Join our host Summer Ash of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory as she talks about how astronomers use gravitational lensing to study the universe.

The post The Baseline #17: Gravitational Lensing: Focusing On The Cosmos appeared first on National Radio Astronomy Observatory.

Usually it’s Octoberfest that draws a crowd to Germany this time of year. For hundreds of folks gathered at mtex antenna technology in Schkeuditz, it’s a first look at a prototype radio telescope that may one day be part one of the world’s largest and most sensitive radio telescopes in the world, the National Radio Astronomy Observatory’s (NRAO) next generation Very Large Array (ngVLA). The prototype antenna was unveiled to an excited crowd of government and business leaders, scientists, engineers, and the press from Germany and US.

The prototype antenna’s 18-meter dish, just under the height of a six-story building, is composed of 76 individual aluminum panels assembled in a striking 8-sided shape. “This design allows the surface of the dish to withstand whatever the environment throws at it—extreme temperature, wind, gravity—the reflector will maintain its precise shape within several microns, the equivalent of three human hairs,” explained Lutz Stenvers, managing director of mtex antenna technology. “The structure has 724 pieces, held together with 2,500 screws, weighing in at 43 tons. This design can be shipped in multiple containers to anywhere in the world, and assembled in very little time.”

Time and distance are important factors in ngVLA’s development. A total of 244 dishes are planned for  the massive instrument, with a core array of telescopes working together throughout New Mexico and the American southwest, along with a longer baseline across the US, Mexico and Canada.

The ngVLA has received funding for design and project review from the National Science Foundation (NSF), who supports the majority of NRAO’s operations, with oversight from Associated Universities, Inc. (AUI.)

This preview of the antenna was the closing event for scientists and AUI, NRAO, and NSF staff attending a workshop exploring research opportunities for the ngVLA held at Max Planck Institute for Mathematics in the Sciences in Leipzig.

mtex has been awarded a $1 million state grant from the New Mexico Local Economic Development Act (LEDA) job-creation fund to assist with land, building, and infrastructure costs for their new Albuquerque facility. The City has pledged an additional $300,000 from its municipal LEDA funds.

NRAO’s partnerships with New Mexico Tech and the University of New Mexico are crucial to the ngVLA’s future. NRAO recently signed a new memo of understanding with the University of New Mexico to explore data housing, internships and training for astronomy, engineering, and other fields of STEM education.

Learn more about the ngVLA https://ngvla.nrao.edu/

The National Radio Astronomy Observatory is a facility of the National Science Foundation, operated under a cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc.

The post German tech factory reveals antenna prototype—ngVLA will open a new window into the Universe appeared first on National Radio Astronomy Observatory.

Many objects in the Universe have magnetic fields. Planets such as Earth and Jupiter, the Sun and other stars, even galaxies billions of light years away. But these magnetic fields don’t typically emit light astronomers can see, not even in radio. So how do astronomers study the magnetic fields of distant stars and galaxies?

Although magnetic fields don’t emit light, charged particles moving in these magnetic fields often do. For example, aurora on Earth are caused by charged particles from the solar wind that are captured by Earth’s magnetic field. They spiral along the magnetic field lines until they strike our atmosphere near the north and south magnetic poles, which can create both visible and radio light. We can see the aurora on Earth and Jupiter as a beautiful curtain of colors. Astronomers have even observed the radio glow of the aurora of a brown dwarf.

When magnetic fields are extremely strong, charged particles caught in these fields can be accelerated to incredible speeds. As they accelerate around the magnetic field, the charges can emit light directly. It’s known as synchrotron radiation, and it’s often seen coming from the heated accretion disks of black holes. Astronomers can use synchrotron radiation to measure how fast the charges are moving, and how strong the magnetic field is. It has helped us understand how black holes can tear apart and consume stars and also lets astronomers determine the size of distant black holes.

Astronomers can also map weak magnetic fields. The magnetic field of the Milky Way isn’t as strong as Earth’s, but it permeates our entire galaxy. Our galaxy is filled with charged particles in the form of ionized interstellar gas. This ionized gas doesn’t emit much light on its own, but it does affect light passing through it, particularly polarized light such as that emitted by pulsars. When polarized light passes through an ionized gas, its orientation rotates. The amount the polarization rotates depends on the frequency of the light. By comparing the polarization of pulsar light at different frequencies, astronomers can map the distribution of ionized gas in the galaxy. And since this gas aligns with the galactic magnetic field, they can map the field.

We can even measure the magnetic field of a galaxy billions of light-years away. Recently the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA) measured the magnetic field of a galaxy so distant its light took 11 billion years to reach us. This galaxy is particularly dusty, so ALMA observed light reflected and emitted by this dust. This light is polarized along the orientation of the dust grains, and since dust grains tend to align along magnetic field lines, astronomers could use this to map the galaxy’s magnetic field. It is the most distant galaxy known to have a magnetic field.

Astronomers don’t always need to see something to know that it’s there. They just need to see the effect they have on things they can see. From dark matter and dark energy to black holes and magnetic fields, radio astronomy helps us bring these invisible things to light.

The post How Radio Astronomy Sees Magnetic Fields appeared first on National Radio Astronomy Observatory.

An event will be held onsite at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) Dominici Science Operations Center in Socorro, New Mexico and at the Very Large Array (VLA) next week to celebrate the release of the new book, “Joe Pawsey and the Founding of Australian Radio Astronomy: Early Discoveries, from the Sun to the Cosmos” by W.M. Goss (National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Socorro, New Mexico), Claire Hooker (Health and Medical Humanities, Sydney Health Ethics, Sydney, Australia) and Ronald D. Ekers (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization,  Space and Astronomy, Sydney, Australia). This book was more than 15 years in the making, and it is a collaboration of three authors across two continents who worked together to bring to light the story of Joe Pawsey, a key figure in Australian science and, especially, radio astronomy.

The book is an innovative biography of Joe Pawsey, where the biographical structure is used to reexamine the early years of radio astronomy research, as the field emerged from radar research after WWII. Goss, Hooker and Ekers explore the scientific and social context in which Pawsey forged a career that culminated in his leading the first radio astronomy research group in Australia, one of only three worldwide. The authors are interested in different perspectives and include analysis of personalities and motivations to their discussion of how radio astronomy transformed understanding of the universe.  

The authors emphasize Pawsey’s groundbreaking research, particularly his work on solar radio astronomy. Pawsey’s experiments in the 1940s led to the discovery of the association of solar radio bursts with sunspots, which revolutionized our understanding of the Sun’s activity. His innovative use of the interference between radio waves to study celestial objects laid the foundation for future development of the interferometer arrays such as the Very Large Array (VLA). 

Pawsey’s vision and determination led to the establishment of the radio astronomy group of the Radiophysics Laboratory at CSIR, now CSIRO – Australia’s national science agency, in Sydney, Australia. This group became a hub for radio astronomy research, attracting scientists from around the world. Pawsey’s leadership and collaborative approach fostered an environment of innovation, resulting in numerous significant discoveries.

One of Pawsey’s most notable contributions was his participation in the Parkes Radio Observatory (opened in 1961) under the leadership of E.G. Bowen. Bowen provided the entrepreneurial role while Pawsey provided the scientific inspiration with major contributions to the design and future science program of this ground-breaking instrument. The 64-meter Parkes radio telescope, Murriyang, has produced major scientific discoveries in the intervening six decades.

“Joe Pawsey and the Founding of Australian Radio Astronomy” by Goss, Hooker and Ekers provides a comprehensive account of Joe Pawsey’s remarkable journey and his significant contributions to the field of radio astronomy. This book serves as a testament to Pawsey’s enduring legacy and his invaluable contributions to our understanding of the universe. W.M. Goss stated, “Pawsey’s influence on astronomy has now persisted over six decades well into the 21th century. If I might modify Issac Newton’s statement to Robert Hook in 1675: ‘If I have seen further it is by standing on the shoulders of Pawsey, the original Giant’.”

On the 28th July 2023, an Australian book launch was held at the Pawsey Supercomputing Research Centre in Perth. An Australian supercomputing centre, named after Joe Pawsey, which now plays a key role in the phenomenal success of the aperture synthesis radio astronomy imaging technique, a technique which was invented by Pawsey’s group and is now used throughout the world, including the Very Large Array (VLA). It will be key to the success of future telescopes such as the Next Generation VLA and the Square Kilometre Array (SKA).

“This open access book examines not only the life of a radio astronomy pioneer, but also the birth and growth of the field of radio astronomy and the state of science itself in twentieth century Australia. The book explains how an isolated continent with limited resources grew to be one of the international leaders in the study of radio astronomy and the design of instruments to do so‌,” Ronald Ekers. 

If you would like to read “Joe Pawsey and the Founding of Australian Radio Astronomy” by Claire Hooker, Ronald D. Ekers, and W. M. Goss you can access a digital copy of the open access book here. You can also purchase a hardback or soft cover version at the Springer web site ( https://link.springer.com with keyword “pawsey”)

The post Book Release: “Joe Pawsey and the Founding of Australian Radio Astronomy” appeared first on National Radio Astronomy Observatory.

The largest astronomical array in North America is one step closer to becoming a reality. The National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) is pleased to announce that the National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded a 3-year, $21 million grant to Associated Universities, Inc. (AUI) to further the design of the next generation Very Large Array (ngVLA). Said Tony Beasley, Director of NRAO, “Despite challenging economic times, this award demonstrates a strong commitment from the research community and the NSF to create astronomy’s next great instrument, and continue U.S. radio astronomy leadership. NRAO is committed to begin construction of the ngVLA later this decade.”

Late this summer, the NSF formally entered the ngVLA project into the Major Research Equipment and Facilities Construction (MREFC) design process at the Conceptual Design Phase. The NSF-led Conceptual Design Review (CDR) is expected next Spring and will be supported by this most recent award.  While this does not yet represent a commitment to construct the telescope, the review signals the project’s strong scientific and technical promise and growing project readiness. The three MREFC reviews (Conceptual, Preliminary, and Final) will provide NSF with the critical information needed to consider adding ngVLA construction to a budget request later this decade.

The concept for the ngVLA was created in 2016, and the telescope was presented to the ASTRO2020 Decadal Survey in 2019. Delivery of the ngVLA prototype antenna to the VLA site is expected in summer 2024.

Learn more about the ngVLA https://ngvla.nrao.edu/

The National Radio Astronomy Observatory is a facility of the National Science Foundation, operated under a cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc.

The post $21 Million NSF Award Will Bring ngVLA Design to Life appeared first on National Radio Astronomy Observatory.

Albuquerque, NM, Thursday, September 7, 2023 — The National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO)/Associated Universities, Inc. (AUI), and the University of New Mexico (UNM) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to explore collaborations in support of future U.S. radio astronomy initiatives.

The MOU outlines the shared interests of AUI/NRAO and UNM in increasing professional collaborations amongst scientific and engineering staff through the sharing of facilities and computing resources. The joint effort will actively identify future collaborations related to the next-generation Very Large Array (ngVLA) and Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA).

“Spread across the New Mexico landscape is one of the most iconic and consequential scientific instruments of the world, the Very Large Array.  UNM is excited to be working with NRAO on the next generation of this facility, which will probe the universe and reveal new insights about the evolution of galaxies and the formation of terrestrial planets. This work will help to keep our state and our University at the forefront of human understanding of the Universe in which we live,” said James Holloway, UNM provost and executive vice president for academic affairs.

The ngVLA, currently in its design phase thanks to an award from the National Science Foundation, will improve upon the sensitivity and spatial resolution of the Jansky Very Large Array (VLA) and the VLBA by more than an order of magnitude. “A collaboration with the National Radio Astronomy Observatory is a fundamental opportunity for our researchers to innovate and design together critical infrastructure needs that will impact people for generations to come. UNM has a notable track record when it comes to the advancement of space research and science and the involvement of our community to share in our newest innovations and discoveries,” said Ellen Fisher, vice president for research at UNM. 

The Astro2020 Decadal Survey Report prioritized the ngVLA as a major ground-based facility whose construction should begin this decade. Once approved, construction on the ngVLA could begin as soon as 2026, with projected early scientific observations starting in 2029 and full scientific operations by 2035. Building on the legacy of the VLA, VLBA, and the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA), the ngVLA will become the next U.S. flagship radio telescope and ensure that the U.S. remains a global leader in radio astronomy. “This partnership with NRAO to support the next generation Very Large Array could bring more than 200 of the world’s best radio astronomers and engineers to the UNM campus, resulting in unparalleled education and training opportunities for UNM’s astronomy students and hundreds of new, high-paying jobs in New Mexico,” said Chris Lippitt, associate dean for research at the UNM College of Arts & Sciences.

Through this partnership, NRAO and UNM will explore the potential of establishing the UNM College of Arts & Sciences’ Department of Physics & Astronomy as a host site for the ngVLA Data Processing and Science Operations Center. This site will foster close collaboration  between  NRAO and UNM researchers, and  will also provide UNM students the opportunity to work closely with and learn from the world-class radio astronomers and engineers at AUI/ NRAO.  “This memorandum of understanding between NRAO and UNM strengthens our existing partnership, is the foundation for significant cooperative work on the ngVLA, and will help ensure that the state of New Mexico remains at the center of the radio astronomy world,” said Eric Murphy, the Project Scientist for ngVLA. “We look forward to an exciting future ahead with UNM.”

This partnership is directly aligned with UNM’s 2040 goal to “Advance New Mexico” by being an economic driver for the state of New Mexico, but will also advance future leaders in radio astronomy, data science, high performance computing, and engineering. “With National Science Foundation support and Associated Universities, Inc. oversight, NRAO telescopes have put New Mexico at the heart of international radio astronomy,” said Tony Beasley, Director of NRAO. “Working with UNM gives us an even more solid foundation to create the next great instrument for the scientific community.” 

The MOU also explores the potential for collaboration between UNM and AUI/NRAO to support the computational infrastructure needs for the VLBA Back End Retrofit (VBER) project. The VBER project aims to upgrade critical end-of-life electronics and improve capabilities at all 10 VLBA antenna sites.

For more information, please contact:

AUI/NRAO:

Technical Point of Contact: Eric Murphy, ngVLA Project Scientist, NRAO, [email protected]

Administrative Point of Contact: Richard Sakshaug, Contracts and Procurement Manager, [email protected]

UNM:

Technical Point of Contact: Dr. Christopher D. Lippitt, Associate Dean for Research, UNM College of Arts & Sciences, [email protected]

Administrative Point of Contact: Dr. Ellen Fisher, Vice President for Research, University of New Mexico, [email protected]

About NRAO:

The National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) is a facility of the National Science Foundation (NSF), operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc. Furthering NSF’s mission to advance the progress of science, the NRAO enables research into the Universe at radio wavelengths and provides world-class telescopes, instrumentation, and expertise to the scientific community. NRAO’s mission includes a commitment to broader, equitable, inclusive participation in science and engineering, training the next generation of scientists and engineers, and promoting astronomy to foster a more scientifically literate society. NRAO operates three research facilities: the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA), and the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA), which are available for use by scientists from around the globe, regardless of institutional or national affiliation. NRAO welcomes applicants who bring diverse and innovative dimensions to the Observatory and to the field of radio astronomy. For more information about NRAO, go to National Radio Astronomy Observatory .

About UNM:

The University of New Mexico (UNM) is a public research university in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Founded in 1889 as the state’s flagship institution, UNM offers over 200 degree and certificate programs across 15 academic units. As the only academic institution in the state of New Mexico with a Carnegie Classification of Very High Research Activity (R1), UNM plays a critical role in educating the state’s residents and in driving its economy. 

About the College of Arts & Sciences:

The College of Arts & Sciences is the largest academic unit on UNM’s campus, generating approximately $40 million in research funding each year. With over 45 majors and 68 concentrations spanning across 24 departments and schools as well as 26 academic and research programs, the College has established itself as a catalyst for academic and research excellence and innovation at UNM and throughout the state of New Mexico. 

About the Department of Physics & Astronomy:

The UNM Department of Physics & Astronomy at the College of Arts & Sciences generates approximately $11 million in research funding each year. Located in the state-of-the-art Physics & Astronomy and Interdisciplinary Science (PAÍS) building, the department provides their students with a broad depth of experience that puts them well ahead of their peers at similar institutions.

Media Contact:

Jill Malusky

Public Information & News Manager, NRAO

304-460-5608

[email protected]

Irene Gray, MPA

Marketing & Communications Manager

UNM College of Arts and Sciences Office of Research

[email protected]

The post Largest Telescope Array in North America Under Development by NRAO With Support from UNM appeared first on National Radio Astronomy Observatory.

On August 20, 2023, the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) marked 30 years since the National Science Foundation’s Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA) had its inauguration ceremony in the high desert of New Mexico. In the three decades since, the VLBA has become not only one of the world’s most famous radio telescopes, but has also played a key role in radio astronomy across the country and the world. 

The VLBA is a critical tool for astronomy, where knowing distances is the basis for figuring out the mass, makeup, and movement of cosmic objects. High-precision observations are the VLBA’s greatest strength. With the VLBA’s accuracy, astronomers:

• Measure the spins and shapes of galaxies, including our Milky Way
• Collect cosmological distances to measure Dark Energy in the Universe
• Trace the movements of black holes and pulsars to learn their history and future
• Predict if and when galaxies will collide, including the Andromeda Galaxy with our Milky Way
• Provide the most accurate distances to stars
• Pinpoint the exact centers of planets in our Solar System
• Develop the celestial reference grid used by other telescopes

In addition to these research contributions, the VLBA is utilized by the United States Naval Observatory (USNO). The USNO is a 50% funding partner with the NSF to operate the VLBA. The USNO makes use of VLBA data to develop and maintain the International Celestial Reference Frame which is used by all astronomers across the globe to define coordinates of the objects they study. The VLBA is the majority contributor of data to these reference frames.

The VLBA stations are located in areas with limited radio interference, and widely spread across the country. The distance between any two stations is known as their baseline. The longer the baseline, the better the angular resolution. The most widely separated antennas are at Mauna Kea in Hawaii and St. Croix in the U.S. Virgin Islands, which are 8,611 km apart. While each VLBA antenna is identical, each location is unique. With antennas located from New Hampshire to Washington, from Iowa to Hawaii, and within New Mexico in Los Alamos and Pie Town, the VLBA is truly America’s telescope.

The work of the VLBA is far from over. When asked about what’s to come for the VLBA, former VLBA Director and Deputy Assistant Director for VLBA Development Walter Brisken stated, “As new technology emerges, the VLBA’s capabilities continue to grow, and it remains an innovative instrument for radio astronomy.” 

###

You can access more information about the VLBA HERE

About NRAO

The National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) is a facility of the National Science Foundation (NSF), operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc. Furthering NSF’s mission to advance the progress of science, the NRAO enables research into the Universe at radio wavelengths and provides world-class telescopes, instrumentation, and expertise to the scientific community. NRAO’s mission includes a commitment to broader, equitable, inclusive participation in science and engineering, training the next generation of scientists and engineers, and promoting astronomy to foster a more scientifically literate society. NRAO operates three research facilities: the Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array (ALMA), the Karl G. Jansky Very Large Array (VLA), and the Very Long Baseline Array (VLBA), which are available for use by scientists from around the globe, regardless of institutional or national affiliation. NRAO welcomes applicants who bring diverse and innovative dimensions to the Observatory and to the field of radio astronomy. For more information about NRAO, go to National Radio Astronomy Observatory .

About USNO

The United States Naval Observatory (USNO) is a scientific and operational facility that produces positioning, navigation, and timekeeping data for the United States Navy and the United States government. Established in 1830 as the Depot of Charts and Instruments, it is one of the oldest scientific agencies in the United States and remains the country’s leading authority for astronomical and timing data for all purposes.

Media Contact:

Jill Malusky

Public Information & News Manager, NRAO

304-460-5608

[email protected]

Geoff Chester

USNO Public Affairs Officer

[email protected]

The post VLBA Marks 30 Years Pushing the Bounds of Science appeared first on National Radio Astronomy Observatory.