Jodrell Bank Observatory
LAE member Barrie Yates has drawn our attention to the proposed defunding of Jodrell Bank. Below are Barrie’s comments and a link to a vital petition.
“Our esteemed leaders have decided to withdraw the funding that keeps Jodrell Bank operational. It is not only an important source of scientific research, but has become a cultural icon. Yet another example of the degradation of poor Britain plc ! I believe that the support of our members would greatly help the cause if we all signed the petition.
The petition is organized by 38 Degrees:- Jodrell Bank Petition
I am sure the proposal to withdraw government funds will raise the hackles of all engineers and folk who care about our heritage. It will be interesting to see the outcome of the petition. Also we could organize a trip as it is a good day out.
Kind regards, Barrie”
Jodrell Bank Observatory in Cheshire, England, hosts a number of radio telescopes as part of the Jodrell Bank Centre for Astrophysics at the University of Manchester. The observatory was established in 1945 by Bernard Lovell, a radio astronomer at the university, to investigate cosmic rays after his work on radar in the Second World War. It has since played an important role in the research of meteoroids, quasars, pulsars, masers, and gravitational lenses, and was heavily involved with the tracking of Soviet and US spacecraft of the Space Race. The main telescope at the observatory is the Lovell Telescope. Its diameter of 250 ft (76 m) makes it the third largest steerable radio telescope in the world. There are three other active telescopes at the observatory; the Mark II and 42 ft (13m) and 7m diameter radio telescopes.
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