On any given day at the VLA you will find from two to a hundred people working to keep the telescope healthy and in good working condition. The following links will take you to the different work areas and introduce you to the people who make the VLA the phenomenal instrument that it is!Sep 26, 2008
- How big is the Very Large Array?
- Who owns the Very Large Array?
- Can you visit the Very Large Array?
- How many radio telescopes make up the Very Large Array?
- What is the largest antenna in the world?
- What has the Very Large Array shown us?
- Is the Very Large Array open to the public?
- Where is the largest telescope array?
- What is the largest telescope array?
How big is the Very Large Array?
At A Glance
| Number of antennas | 28 (27 active and 1 spare) |
|---|---|
| Reconfigurable Array | North arm is 11 miles long, two other arms are 13 miles long |
| A configuration size | 22.62 miles across |
| B configuration size | 7.08 miles across |
| C configuration size | 2.11 miles across |
Who owns the Very Large Array?
Associated Universities, Inc The VLA stands at an elevation of 6,970 feet (2,120 m) above sea level. It is a component of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO). The NRAO is a facility of the National Science Foundation operated under cooperative agreement by Associated Universities, Inc.
Can you visit the Very Large Array?
Socorro, New Mexico is the home of our Very Large Array (VLA), where visitors are welcome and encouraged! The VLA includes a visitor center with a theater, science exhibits, a gift shop, and an outdoor self-guided walking tour that takes you right to the base of one of the telescopes! Learn about Visiting the VLA!
How many radio telescopes make up the Very Large Array?
27 radio antennas The Very Large Array, one of the world's premier astronomical radio observatories, consists of 27 radio antennas in a Y-shaped configuration on the Plains of San Agustin fifty miles west of Socorro, New Mexico. Each antenna is 25 meters (82 feet) in diameter.
What is the largest antenna in the world?
The Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical radio Telescope (FAST; Chinese: 五百米口径球面射电望远镜), nicknamed Tianyan (天眼, lit. "Sky's/Heaven's Eye"), is a radio telescope located in the Dawodang depression (大窝凼洼地), a natural basin in Pingtang County, Guizhou, southwest China.
What has the Very Large Array shown us?
The Very Large Array Radio Telescope facility is a two-hour drive from Albuquerque, 50 miles west of Socorro, New Mexico. The Visitor Center features an award-winning documentary narrated by Jodie Foster, plus exhibits describing radio astronomy and the VLA telescope.
Is the Very Large Array open to the public?
The Very Large Array is currently CLOSED TO THE PUBLIC until further notice.
Where is the largest telescope array?
The world's most powerful radio telescope, in its combination of sensitivity, resolution, and versatility, is the Very Large Array (VLA) located on the plains of San Agustin near Socorro, in central New Mexico, U.S. The VLA consists of 27 parabolic antennas, each measuring 25 metres (82 feet) in diameter.
What is the largest telescope array?
The world's most powerful radio telescope, in its combination of sensitivity, resolution, and versatility, is the Very Large Array (VLA) located on the plains of San Agustin near Socorro, in central New Mexico, U.S. The VLA consists of 27 parabolic antennas, each measuring 25 metres (82 feet) in diameter.