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VLA Trip

 

Part One:

 

Please find answers to the following questions.  Always answer the question in complete sentences.

 

 

  1. What is the purpose of the VLA?  Are these “dishes” satellites?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  1. Why is the VLA called a telescope?  What type of electromagnetic radiation does it collect?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  1. How many different configurations can the VLA be placed in?  Why is it changed?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  1. What type of images does the VLA “see”?

 

 

 

 

5.  What can the VLA do that other telescopes can’t?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  1. Why does the VLA have an atomic clock?  How does an atomic clock work?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  1. Name four reasons the VLA is located on the plains of San Augustin.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  1. What is the shape of the dishes?  Why are they shaped this way?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  1. How many dishes are there in the Array?  How big of a telescope can they create?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  1. Who can use the VLA?  Who funds the research?

 

 

 

 

 

 

  1. How do astronomers process information gathered by the VLA?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  1. What does the VLA operator do?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  1. What is a transporter?  How does it work?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  1. How many days is the VLA in operation?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  1. What is the VLBA?  What type of images can it “see”?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Part Two

Draw a picture of one of the dishes.  Explain how it works to collect radiation from space.