Reber Radio Telescope facts for kids
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Reber Radio Telescope
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Reber Radio Telescope
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 Location in West Virginia
Location in the United States
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| Nearest city | Green Bank, West Virginia |
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| Area | less than one acre |
| Built | 1937 |
| Architect | Grote Reber |
| NRHP reference No. | 72001291 |
Quick facts for kids Significant dates |
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| Added to NRHP | November 9, 1972 |
| Designated NHL | December 20, 1989 |
The Reber Radio Telescope is a very special and old radio telescope. You can find it at the Green Bank Observatory in Green Bank, West Virginia. A smart astronomer named Grote Reber built it way back in 1937 in his backyard in Illinois. This telescope was the very first one ever made specifically with a dish shape to listen to radio waves from space. Because it was so important, it was named a National Historic Landmark in 1989.
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What Makes the Reber Telescope Special?
The Reber Radio Telescope is located at the Green Bank Observatory. This observatory is in a quiet, countryside area of Pocahontas County, West Virginia. The telescope has a large, curved dish called a parabolic reflector. This dish is made of 72 metal ribs and covered with thin iron sheets.
The dish is about 31 feet (9.5 meters) wide. It can focus radio waves from space like a giant ear. The telescope sits on arched rails with wheels. This design allows it to tilt and point at different parts of the sky.
How the Telescope Was Built
Astronomer Grote Reber built this amazing telescope himself. He put it together in his backyard in Wheaton, Illinois. He started building it in 1937. Reber was inspired by the work of Karl Guthe Jansky. Jansky had discovered radio waves coming from the Milky Way galaxy in 1931.
Reber's telescope was only the second radio telescope ever built. Jansky's first one was a different type. Reber's telescope was the very first one with a dish shape. This made it a model for many big dish telescopes built later. Famous examples include the Green Bank Telescope and the Lovell Telescope. These were built after World War II.
Reber's Discoveries and Radio Astronomy
At that time, Grote Reber was almost the only person studying the sky with radio waves. He was a pioneer in the field of radio astronomy. He used his telescope to map the radio sky. His work helped create this new science.
Reber's surveys found new radio sources in space. For example, he discovered Cassiopeia A and Cygnus X-1. These are important objects that give off strong radio signals. His discoveries showed how much we could learn by "listening" to the universe.
Journey of the Reber Telescope
After his important work, Reber sold his telescope. It went to the US National Bureau of Standards. It was moved to Sterling, Virginia. Later, the telescope became part of the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO). It was moved again, this time to Boulder, Colorado.
Finally, the Reber Radio Telescope found its permanent home. It was moved to the Green Bank facility in West Virginia. This is where it stands today.
Recognized as a Landmark
Because of its historical importance, the Reber Radio Telescope received special recognition. It was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1972. Then, in 1989, it was declared a National Historic Landmark. This means it is a very important place in American history.
