Carson City's WNC astronomy group to talk 'Big Ears' at Owens Valley Radio Observatory
Ever wanted to know more about “The Big Ears” of the Eastern Sierra? The Western Nevada Astronomical Society will host a free presentation Saturday on the Owens Valley Radio Observatory at Western Nevada College in Carson City.
The panel presentation about the unique observatory located south of Bishop, Calif., begins at 6:30 p.m. in Jack C. Davis Observatory.
The Owens Valley Radio Observatory was created in 1958 and is operated by the Astronomy Department of the California Institute of Technology, which is located in Pasadena, Calif.
Originally, the observatory contained two 90-foot radio telescopes that were used to study radio galaxies. That focus has since shifted to the Sun’s magnetic field.
More dishes have been added to the observatory, including a 130-foot antenna and a millimeter-wave array of six 34-foot-high dishes.
Doors to Jack C. Davis Observatory open at 6 p.m. The observatory is located at 2269 Vanpatten Ave.