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September 25, 2006

Antennas in the Allen Telescope Array

Antennas in the Allen Telescope Array

A rendering of antennas in the Allen Telescope Array (ATA), by graphic artist Isaac Gary. When complete, ATA will consist of 350 of these 6.1 meter, offset Gregorian antennas, arrayed at the Hat Creek Radio Observatory site in northern California. ATA is an example of a large-N, small-D array, which is the U.S. concept for the square kilometer array.

Given the number of antennas and a very wide field-of-view (2.45° at » = 21 centimeters), this array will have an unprecedented amount of flexibility in observing. Several individual users may simultaneously use the array to observe a different part of the sky at an independent frequency, or image the sky at one or more frequencies. ATA is a joint project between the SETI Institute and the University of California at Berkeley Radio Astronomy Lab (RAL). (Date of Image: Fall 2002)

Credit: Research work by Seti Institute and University of California, Berkeley; Artistic work by Isaac Gary


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