The Very Large Array (VLA) is a radio astronomy observatory located on the Plains of San Augustin, between the towns of Magdalena and Datil, some fifty miles (80 km) west of Socorro, New Mexico, USA.
The observatory consists of 27 independent antennas, each of which has a dish diameter of 25 meters (82 feet) and weighs 209 metric tons (230 Short tons). The antennas are arrayed along the three arms of a Y-shape (each of which measures 21 km/13 miles long). Using the railroad tracks that follow each of these arms – and that, at one point, intersect with U.S. Route 60 at a level crossing – and a specially designed lifting locomotive, the antennas can be physically relocated to a number of prepared positions, allowing aperture synthesis interferometry with a maximum baseline of 36 km (22.3 miles): in essence, the array acts as a single antenna with that diameter.
The VLA is a multi-purpose instrument designed to allow investigations of many astronomical topics. Objects that are commonly studied include radio galaxies, quasars, pulsars, supernova remnants, gamma ray bursts, radio-emitting stars, the sun and planets, astrophysical masers, black holes, and the hydrogen gas that constitutes a large portion of the Milky Way galaxy as well as external galaxies. In 1989 the VLA was used to receive radio communications from the Voyager 2 spacecraft as it flew by Neptune.
The VLA studio project was to master plan the site and design an antenna hanger. The mater plan concept for this project was how to physically represent the culmination of the 27 antennas into one radio telescope. This is shown by rearranging the plan of the hangers and other buildings to be geometrically aligned to the overall shape of the concept as well as by the landscape plan. For the antenna hanger, the concept for the hanger was to be the counterpart to the pure, white, and functional scientific device. The hanger would be constructed out of a diagonal grid structure with modular metal panels that are perforated with images of the astronomy the radio telescope has helped found. The building forms color contrasts the antennas as well. Although this color may seem very worrisome for cooling, but the sites temperature ranges are on the lower side, due to the elevation and lack of trees.
Illinois Institute of Technology, spring, 2006
The observatory consists of 27 independent antennas, each of which has a dish diameter of 25 meters (82 feet) and weighs 209 metric tons (230 Short tons). The antennas are arrayed along the three arms of a Y-shape (each of which measures 21 km/13 miles long). Using the railroad tracks that follow each of these arms – and that, at one point, intersect with U.S. Route 60 at a level crossing – and a specially designed lifting locomotive, the antennas can be physically relocated to a number of prepared positions, allowing aperture synthesis interferometry with a maximum baseline of 36 km (22.3 miles): in essence, the array acts as a single antenna with that diameter.
The VLA is a multi-purpose instrument designed to allow investigations of many astronomical topics. Objects that are commonly studied include radio galaxies, quasars, pulsars, supernova remnants, gamma ray bursts, radio-emitting stars, the sun and planets, astrophysical masers, black holes, and the hydrogen gas that constitutes a large portion of the Milky Way galaxy as well as external galaxies. In 1989 the VLA was used to receive radio communications from the Voyager 2 spacecraft as it flew by Neptune.
The VLA studio project was to master plan the site and design an antenna hanger. The mater plan concept for this project was how to physically represent the culmination of the 27 antennas into one radio telescope. This is shown by rearranging the plan of the hangers and other buildings to be geometrically aligned to the overall shape of the concept as well as by the landscape plan. For the antenna hanger, the concept for the hanger was to be the counterpart to the pure, white, and functional scientific device. The hanger would be constructed out of a diagonal grid structure with modular metal panels that are perforated with images of the astronomy the radio telescope has helped found. The building forms color contrasts the antennas as well. Although this color may seem very worrisome for cooling, but the sites temperature ranges are on the lower side, due to the elevation and lack of trees.
Illinois Institute of Technology, spring, 2006