It may be situated in one of the nation’s quietest communities, but a lot of noise is picked up at the Green Bank Observatory – and most of it is out of this world.

Established in 1956 as the National Science Foundation’s National Radio Astronomy Observatory, the Green Bank, W.Va., facility made its first observations two years later and has been going strong ever since. In addition to being the first national astronomy observatory, it was also the first national laboratory open to scientists from all over the world.

Over the course of its 68-year history, the Green Bank Observatory has been the site of a number of important scientific discoveries. And although it has been an independent institution since 2016, it continues to be a world leader in advancing research, innovation and education.

Scoping the stars

The Green Bank Observatory has been home to a number of large telescopes over the decades, including the Reber Radio Telescope, which was built in 1937 and designated a National Historic Landmark in 1989; the Tatel 85-foot telescope, completed in 1959; the 300-foot telescope, completed in 1962; as well as the 140-foot telescope, completed in 1965. However, the facility’s premiere instrument is the Robert C. Byrd Green Bank Telescope, the world’s largest steerable, single-dish radio telescope, operating at meter to millimeter wavelengths.

Constructed in 2000, thanks in part to the funding efforts of its namesake Senator Robert Byrd, D-WV, the GBT is a breathtaking structure measuring 100-meters in diameter, weighing 17 million pounds, and in its upright position measuring 485 feet – only 70 feet shorter than the Washington Monument. The GBT runs approximately 6,500 tours of observations per year, more than any other observatory, and operates 24 hours a day, 362 days per year.

According to officials, the GBT spends about 20% of its time looking for signs of intelligent life beyond our own planet. So far, E.T. has not phoned in.

Although it was built to hear noises coming from deep space, the GBT is equipped with a MUSTANG-2 camera. It has captured amazing images of star clusters and a supermassive black hole at the center of a galaxy called M87, as well as the most detailed photo of the moon ever taken from Earth.

The MUSTANG-2 camera was commissioned in the spring of 2016 and developed by a collaboration that included the University of Pennsylvania, National Institute of Science and Technology, NRAO, the University of Michigan and Cardiff University.

Visiting the quiet zone

The Green Bank Observatory is located in the National Radio Quiet Zone, an area of approximately 13,000 square miles near the state border between Virginia and West Virginia. The NRQZ was established in 1958 by the Federal Communications Commission to minimize the impact of radio interference on scientific research and other federal projects.

Visitors to the facility must disable all wireless signals on cell phones and other smart devices upon arrival. Digital photography, including smartphone cameras, is permitted only in the Science Center and on the observation deck and must be completely powered off before passing through the gate of the restricted zone.

The Science Center is open five days a week from 9:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m., closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays. Self-directed tours of the interactive exhibit hall and grounds are free to the public, but guided tours and behind-the-scenes tours run between $10-$40 per person depending on the experience. The facility also offers family programs including Star Parties and Family Science Labs which are free, as well as Star Lab Sundays, which run 45 minutes and cost $5 per person.

While on the grounds, visitors can have lunch in the Starlight Café and commemorate their experience with a souvenir from the gift shop.

Kayla Enloe of Folsom, Calif., traveled to the Green Bank Observatory with the Astronomical Society when she was a student at The Ohio State University. In a Facebook review, she said her experience was amazing and that the staff was truly wonderful to those conducting undergraduate research and gaining experience with radio astronomy.

“We were able to freely walk the grounds, have full access to the 40-foot telescope, and learn how to use their equipment to observe stellar objects. I highly recommend this facility for anyone who is majoring in astronomy or physics,” she said.

Kimberly Mahew of Romney, W.Va., agreed that the Green Bank Observatory is a secret gem.

“I recommend that every school age child in West Virginia gets to come here and experience this beautiful facility, learn about science in real time and maybe develop a love for astronomy,” she said.

If You Go…

The Green Bank Observatory is located in Pocahontas County, W.Va., in the National Radio Quiet Zone, so it is important to download a map or travel with a paper one when visiting the observatory.

Address: 155 Observatory Road, Green Bank, WV 24944.

Phone: (304) 456-2150

Website: www.greenbankobservatory.org

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