Looking Toward the Sky with Summer Ash
1Digest
This episode of Atlas Obscura explores the Very Large Array (VLA), a giant radio telescope located in the New Mexico desert. We learn about the VLA's unique design, its ability to move its 27 individual dishes across a 22-mile area, and the incredible cosmic wonders it has detected. Summer Ash, the VLA's STEM education manager, shares her passion for telescopes and supermassive black holes, explaining how the VLA captures radio waves from space, including the energetic jets emitted by black holes. We also learn about the challenges of maintaining the VLA in a remote location, including dealing with snow, ice, and even bird nests. Summer discusses the search for extraterrestrial life and how the VLA might be able to detect signals from other civilizations. The episode concludes with Summer's experience of the green flash, a rare optical phenomenon that she witnessed during a sailing trip across the Atlantic.
Outlines
Introduction to the Very Large Array
This Chapter introduces the Very Large Array (VLA), a giant radio telescope located in the New Mexico desert. The VLA is described as a techno-futuristic stone hedge, with its numerous white satellite dishes rising on the horizon. The VLA covers a distance of 22 miles, nearly double the length of Manhattan, and is capable of detecting faint signals from black holes, supernova remnants, and other celestial objects.
The VLA's Maintenance and Operations
This Chapter delves into the practical aspects of maintaining and operating the VLA. The discussion covers how the VLA's dishes are cleaned, the challenges posed by bird droppings and snow, and the unique methods used to move the dishes across the vast array. We learn about the transporter, a diesel rail vehicle that moves the antennas, and the antenna barn where maintenance is performed.
The VLA's Scientific Discoveries
This Chapter explores the scientific capabilities of the VLA and the types of celestial objects it studies. The VLA's versatility allows it to observe everything from our solar system to the farthest reaches of the universe. Summer Ash, the VLA's STEM education manager, expresses her particular fascination with supermassive black holes and the energetic jets they emit. She explains how these jets are generated by the accretion disc surrounding the black hole and the powerful magnetic fields it produces.
Telescope Tourism and the Search for Extraterrestrial Life
This Chapter delves into Summer Ash's passion for telescope tourism and her experiences visiting other radio telescopes, including the Giant Meterwave Radio Telescope in India and the Very Small Array, a small array of satellite dishes located in someone's backyard. The conversation then shifts to the search for extraterrestrial life and the possibility of detecting signals from other civilizations. Summer discusses the challenges of communicating with extraterrestrial life due to the vast distances involved and the limitations of the speed of light.
Keywords
Very Large Array (VLA)
The Very Large Array (VLA) is a giant radio telescope located in the New Mexico desert. It consists of 27 individual satellite dishes spread across a 22-mile area, making it one of the largest and most powerful radio telescopes in the world. The VLA is capable of detecting faint signals from a wide range of celestial objects, including black holes, supernova remnants, and star-forming regions.
Radio Telescope
A radio telescope is a type of telescope that detects radio waves from space. Unlike optical telescopes, which capture visible light, radio telescopes collect radio waves, which are a form of electromagnetic radiation. Radio telescopes are used to study a wide range of celestial objects, including galaxies, stars, and planets.
Supermassive Black Hole
A supermassive black hole is a type of black hole that is millions or even billions of times more massive than the Sun. These black holes are found at the centers of most galaxies, including our own Milky Way. Supermassive black holes are thought to play a crucial role in the evolution of galaxies.
Active Galactic Nucleus (AGN)
An active galactic nucleus (AGN) is a region at the center of a galaxy that is extremely bright and energetic. AGNs are powered by supermassive black holes that are actively accreting matter. The accretion process releases enormous amounts of energy, producing jets of particles that can travel at speeds close to the speed of light.
Green Flash
The green flash is a rare optical phenomenon that occurs at sunset or sunrise. It is a brief flash of green light that appears just as the sun disappears below the horizon. The green flash is caused by the refraction of sunlight through the Earth's atmosphere.
Telescope Tourism
Telescope tourism is a type of tourism that involves visiting astronomical observatories and telescopes. Telescope tourists can learn about the history and science of astronomy, observe celestial objects through telescopes, and experience the beauty of the night sky.
Extraterrestrial Life
Extraterrestrial life, also known as alien life, is life that originates outside of Earth. The search for extraterrestrial life is one of the most fundamental questions in science. Scientists are using a variety of methods to search for signs of life on other planets and moons, including radio telescopes.
SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence)
SETI (Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence) is a scientific effort to search for signs of intelligent life beyond Earth. SETI researchers use radio telescopes to listen for signals that might be transmitted by extraterrestrial civilizations.
Q&A
How does the Very Large Array (VLA) work?
The VLA is a radio telescope, meaning it captures radio waves from space instead of visible light. It consists of 27 individual dishes spread across a 22-mile area, and its configuration can be changed to act like a zoom lens, allowing it to observe different sizes of objects in the sky.
What are some of the challenges of maintaining the VLA?
The VLA is located in a remote area and faces challenges like snow, ice, and bird nests. The dishes are designed to drain water, and there's a 'snow dump' command to shake off snow. The VLA also has to be shielded from radio interference from cell phones and other electronic devices.
What are some of the scientific discoveries made by the VLA?
The VLA has been used to study a wide range of celestial objects, including star-forming regions, cold gas, and supermassive black holes. It has also been used to observe the energetic jets emitted by black holes, which are thought to be powered by the accretion disc surrounding the black hole and the powerful magnetic fields it produces.
What is the green flash and why is it significant?
The green flash is a rare optical phenomenon that occurs at sunset or sunrise. It is a brief flash of green light that appears just as the sun disappears below the horizon. The green flash is caused by the refraction of sunlight through the Earth's atmosphere. It is a reminder of the beauty and wonder of the natural world and the power of optical illusions.
What are the challenges of searching for extraterrestrial life?
The search for extraterrestrial life is challenging due to the vast distances involved and the limitations of the speed of light. Even if we were to detect a signal from another civilization, it would take a long time to receive a response. The universe is a vast and mysterious place, and we are still learning about the possibilities of life beyond Earth.
Show Notes
Telescope tourist, rocket scientist and STEAM educator Summer Ash gives us the nitty gritty on the V.L.A. - a 22-mile telescope in New Mexico whose formal name is literally “Very Large Array.” We talk about how this observatory works and what cosmic wonders it’s detected.
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