Hat Creek Radio Observatory
Encyclopedia
The Hat Creek Radio Observatory (HCRO) is operated by the Radio Astronomy Laboratory (an Organized Research Unit of the Astronomy Department at the University of California, Berkeley
) in the Western United States
.
at an elevation of 1280m (4200 ft) above Sea Level
in Hat Creek, California
(in Shasta County
).
The nearest large city to Hat Creek is Redding, California
on highway I-5.
.
The earliest experiments in millimeter-wave astronomy were performed at this site starting in the 1970s when a 2-element interferometer was constructed. From 1980-1985 a 3-element interferometer was constructed, with another four antennas added between 1990-1992.
After the 85-foot dish was lost, another three antennas were added to the millimeter array for a total of ten elements. This came to be known as BIMA
.
The BIMA telescopes were moved in the spring of 2005 to be combined with other millimeter antennas as part of the Combined Array for Research in Millimeter-wave Astronomy
(CARMA) project and to make way for the Allen Telescope Array
(ATA).
University of California, Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley , is a teaching and research university established in 1868 and located in Berkeley, California, USA...
) in the Western United States
Western United States
.The Western United States, commonly referred to as the American West or simply "the West," traditionally refers to the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. Because the U.S. expanded westward after its founding, the meaning of the West has evolved over time...
.
Location
Hat Creek Radio Observatory is located approximately 467 km (290.2 mi) North East of San Francisco, CaliforniaSan Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
at an elevation of 1280m (4200 ft) above Sea Level
Sea level
Mean sea level is a measure of the average height of the ocean's surface ; used as a standard in reckoning land elevation...
in Hat Creek, California
Hat Creek, California
Hat Creek is a census-designated place in Shasta County, California. Hat Creek sits at an elevation of . The 2010 United States census reported Hat Creek's population was 309....
(in Shasta County
Shasta County, California
Shasta County is a county located in the northern portion of the U.S. state of California. The county occupies the northern reaches of the Sacramento Valley, with portions extending into the southern reaches of the Cascade Range. As of the 2010 census, the population was 177,223, up from 163,256...
).
The nearest large city to Hat Creek is Redding, California
Redding, California
Redding is a city in far-Northern California. It is the county seat of Shasta County, California, USA. With a population of 89,861, according to the 2010 Census...
on highway I-5.
History
HCRO was founded in the late 1950s by the newly created Radio Astronomy Laboratory of the University of California, Berkeley. An 85-foot antenna was installed in 1962 and operated until 1993, when it collapsed during a wind storm. Using it, astronomers discovered the first astrophysical maserAstrophysical maser
An astrophysical maser is a naturally occurring source of stimulated spectral line emission, typically in the microwave portion of the electromagnetic spectrum...
.
The earliest experiments in millimeter-wave astronomy were performed at this site starting in the 1970s when a 2-element interferometer was constructed. From 1980-1985 a 3-element interferometer was constructed, with another four antennas added between 1990-1992.
After the 85-foot dish was lost, another three antennas were added to the millimeter array for a total of ten elements. This came to be known as BIMA
Bima
Bima is a city on the eastern coast of the island Sumbawa in central Indonesia's province West Nusa Tenggara, and the largest city on the island. In 2010 the municipality counted some 142,443 people, separate from the adjoining Regency of Bima with 407,636 population...
.
The BIMA telescopes were moved in the spring of 2005 to be combined with other millimeter antennas as part of the Combined Array for Research in Millimeter-wave Astronomy
Combined Array for Research in Millimeter-wave Astronomy
The Combined Array for Research in Millimeter-wave Astronomy is an astronomical instrument comprising 23 radio telescopes. These telescopes form an astronomical interferometer where all the signals are combined in a purpose-built computer to produce high-resolution astronomical images.- Location...
(CARMA) project and to make way for the Allen Telescope Array
Allen Telescope Array
The Allen Telescope Array , formerly known as the One Hectare Telescope , was a joint effort by the SETI Institute and the Radio Astronomy Laboratory at the University of California, Berkeley to construct a radio interferometer that is dedicated to astronomical observations and a simultaneous...
(ATA).
External links
- Hat Creek Radio Observatory Webpage (Includes tour and contact info.)
- BIMA Website (formerly HCRO)
- Radio Astronomy Lab Website
- Construction site satellite image from Google Maps