West Virginia University – Astronomy Now

Green Bank Observatory: the making of an American astronomy icon

10 October 2016 Astronomy Now

Astronomers have just celebrated the inauguration of the Green Bank Observatory in West Virginia, home to the 100-metre Green Bank Telescope, one of the world’s most powerful astronomical instruments. During its 60-year history, Green Bank has been home to some of the world’s most innovative and productive radio telescopes.

High school researchers discover pulsar with widest orbit ever detected

2 May 2015 Astronomy Now

Discovered by a team of high school students analysing data from the Green Bank Telescope, pulsar PSR J1930-1852 has the widest orbit ever observed around another neutron star and is part of only a handful of double neutron star systems.

Race to detect gravitational waves intensifies

31 March 2015 Astronomy Now

One of the great challenges in astrophysics is the detection of low-frequency gravitational waves — elusive ripples in the fabric of space-time caused by extremely energetic and large-scale cosmic events. To this end, the National Science Foundation (NSF) has awarded the North American Nanohertz Observatory for Gravitational Waves $14.5 million over 5 years.