Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-07-05
By JAMES BIRCHFIELD
Star Staff Writer

Virginia, astronomers listening to the murmurs
the universe And from those faint murmurs scientists
hope to learn about galaxy and about the
planets farther out in space.
At Green Bank, w. Va, this countrys largest radio
astronomy observatory being built Already one huge
radio telescope is in around operation ana
another larger telescope being built The National
Astronomy Observatory being erected with funds
provided by the National Science Foundation and is
operated with Associated Universities Inc
The observatory will be haven for scientists who
waves instead of visual to study the
stars The faint radio signals received and recorded
by means of eectronc devices and then are translated
by astronomers into visual maps of the heavens
Although radio astronomy is Is years old, 1t Is
comparatively technique 1t represents combina-
astronomy of the worlds oldest sciences with
of the newest eectroncs and electrical engineering
AS DR.. Frank D. Drake, assistant astronomer at the
observatory explains, there many problems to be
in radio astronomy First of ALL the radio signals
space extremely weak and the radio telescopes
must be huge precision instruments located in an area
from electrical interference.
The telescope in operation at Green Bank consists
of paraboc solid surface IS feet in diameter mounted
steel base that allows the telescope to be pointed
with accuracy any point in the heavens The telescope
under construction will be lao feet in diameter and
its surface will be greater than twohrds of an acre
When you the size of the suburban
then you get idea of the size of the new
telescope 1t will be mounted a concrete base with
walls feet thick and must be strong enough to with
stand winds and other ravages of the weather 1t will
weigh much small destroyer
According scientists at Green Bank this telescope
will not be the largest the world-there is 250foot
parahOOid Great Britain-but 1t Will De among the
worlds large telescopes 1t will enable American
advance the science of radio astronomy
the observatory is completed, the facilities will
include telescopes laboratory building and buildings
to visiting scientists maintenance departments
The total cost, planned now will be about $95 million
Frank j. Calender, chairman of the ooservatorys
administration department. estimates that about 60 per
cent observaoys work will be carried on by visiting
scientists who will the facilities for research projects
In addition there will be staff of astronomers
engineers telescope operators and maintenance
men. DR.. Struve RuSsan-born astronomer now at
the University California will become the obSerVatoryS
first director. will take at Green Bank on July l.
DR. Strive born in Kharkov in 1897 and came to
the United States in 1921 He associated with the
astronomy department University of Chicago for
many years
Dr. Strives great grandfather, Frederick George
Wilhelm Struve and directed the first of the famous
observaories Pukovo Russia and succeeded there
by his son, DR. Strive grandfather.
Dr. Strive served with the Cars army during World
War l. and managed to escape from Russia after the
revolution
AS scientists Bank explained, radio signals
from outer space weak-the total strength OF
signal of the bright spots in galaxy equals
watthat radio observatory must be so located