Arecibo Observatory - Arecibo, Puerto Rico
Posted by: 
neoc1
N 18° 20.759 W 066° 45.157
19Q E 737494 N 2029931
The Observatory in Arecibo, Puerto Rico has the world's largest single-dish radio telescope.
Waymark Code: WMM2WC
Location: Puerto Rico
Date Posted: 07/11/2014
Views: 7
The Arecibo Observatory is a leading research center in radio astronomy, planetary radar and terrestrial aeronomy. It is available to all scientists throughout the world.
Radio signals from space are collected by a huge 1000' diameter, 167' deep, spherical reflector dish that covers 20 acres. The dish is composed of 38,778 3' by 6' perforated aluminum panels. The dish is situated in a large sinkhole in the surrounding karst hills and raised off the ground by a network of steel cables.
Suspended 450 feet above the reflector is a 900 ton platform that contains highly sensitive, liquid helium cooled, radio receivers to detect the signals collected by the dish. The telescope is used to study the properties of planets, comets, and asteroids. Also, to detect the faint signals emitted from pulsars in the Galaxy and the extremely weak radio waves which arrive on earth from 100 million light years away.
Price of Admission: 10.00 (listed in local currency)
Weekday Hours: From: 9:00 AM To: 4:00 PM
Weekend Hours: From: 9:00 AM To: 4:00 PM
Roadside Attractions Website: [Web Link]
Location Website: [Web Link]
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