The Very Large Array (VLA) is a collection of 27 radio antennas
located at the NRAO site in ,
New Mexico. Each antenna in the array measures 25 meters (82
feet) in diameter and weighs about 230 tons. The Y-shaped array
can be arranged into 4 different configurations: A, B, C, or D,
depending on the distance between the antennas.
The VLA is an ,
which means that the data from each antenna can be combined
electronically so that the array effectively functions as one giant
antenna. Dedicated in 1980, the VLA is
used by astronomers from around the world to study everything from
to .
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