13th of October 2023 |
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Celebration of the Molonglo radio-telescope |
Since opening in 1965, the University of Sydney's
Molonglo radio telescope has been a leading
instrument for radio astronomy. Research highlights range from the
detection of quasar scintillation; the mapping of the entire southern
sky in the Sydney University Molonglo Sky Survey (SUMSS) and the Molonglo
Galactic Plane Survey (MGPS); to the first discovery of a pulsar associated
with a supernova remnant (Vela).
Research at the site has produced generations of PhD students,
and allowed for many collaborations,
including most recently with CSIRO and Swinburne University.
The telescope’s design has allowed for upgrades over the past half century, but with next-generation telescopes coming online, at sites more suited to radio astronomy, Molonglo was retired at the end of June 2023. A one-day celebration of Molonglo's history and achievments was held at the University of Sydney on Wednesday. Professor Tara Murphy, Head of the School of Physics, recalled that as a third year student she had worked on some Molonglo data in a project with Anne Green, Elaine Sadler, and Dick Hunstead -- an inspiring introduction to radio astronomy! |