The GBT is the world's largest
fully steerable radio telescope. It is located in , West
Virginia. The GBT achieved "" in
August 2000.
The GBT stands 485 feet tall -- taller than the Statue of Liberty. Its
dish measures 100 by 110 meters. Unlike conventional radio telescopes,
which have a series of supports in the middle of the surface, the GBT's
aperture is unblocked so incoming radiation meets the surface directly.
This
increases the useful area of the telescope and eliminates
reflection and diffraction that ordinarily complicate a telescope's
pattern of response.
The GBT weighs 16 million pounds (7.3 million kg), and can be pointed
with an accuracy of one arcsecond, or the equivalent to the width of a
single human hair seen six feet (2 m) away.
Composed of 2,004 metal panels, the telescope's surface covers almost
two acres (8,000 m2). The
telescope is designed to handle a great range
of wavelengths, from 9 feet (3 m) long down to 1/8 inch (3 mm). For more
details, please visit the .
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