Jodrell Bank Observatory

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Jodrell Bank Observatory: A Pioneering Hub of Radio Astronomy

The Jodrell Bank Observatory, located in a tranquil rural setting in Cheshire, England, stands as a testament to human curiosity and ingenuity in the pursuit of understanding the cosmos. Inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2019, this remarkable observatory represents a significant milestone in the history of radio astronomy, bridging the gap between traditional optical astronomy and the modern era of radio observations.

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UNESCO Description of the World Heritage Site

Located in a rural area of northwest England, free from radio interference, Jodrell Bank is one of the world's leading radio astronomy observatories. At the beginning of its use, in 1945, the property housed research on cosmic rays detected by radar echoes. This observatory, which is still in operation, includes several radio telescopes and working buildings, including engineering sheds and the Control Building. Jodrell Bank has had substantial scientific impact in fields such as the study of meteors and the moon, the discovery of quasars, quantum optics, and the tracking of spacecraft. This exceptional technological ensemble illustrates the transition from traditional optical astronomy to radio astronomy (1940s to 1960s), which led to radical changes in the understanding of the universe.

Encyclopedia Record: Jodrell Bank Observatory

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 space probes at the start of the Space Age.

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