National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Green Bank, WV
The Green Bank (Radio) Telescope
The Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope (GBT) is the world’s largest fully steerable radio telescope. It is part of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) site at Green Bank, West Virginia, USA. The telescope honors the name of the late Senator Robert C. Byrd. The GBT operates at meter to millimeter wavelengths. Its 100-meter diameter collecting area, unblocked aperture, and excellent surface accuracy provide excellent sensitivity across the telescope’s full 0.1 – 116 GHz operating range. The GBT is fully steerable, and 85% of the entire celestial sphere is accessible.
Faraday Cage demonstration platform, NRAO, May 2012
The telescope sits near the heart of the United States National Radio Quiet Zone, a large area where all radio transmissions are limited to avoid emissions toward the GBT and the Sugar Grove Research Facility, West Virginia. The existence of the telescope within the Radio Quiet Zone allows for the detection of faint scientific signals which otherwise would be eclipsed by man-made signals. The observatory borders the National Forest and is shielded from radio interference by the Allegheny mountains.